Chrystia Freeland to lead Reuters Digital

Chrystia Freeland, arguably Reuters' biggest star, just got a promotion.

Freeland, who joined the news service from the Financial Times last march as global editor-at-large, has been named editor of Thomson Reuters Digital. The newly created position will put the veteran business journalist in charge of editorial efforts across the company's online and mobile consumer news platforms starting April 11.

Stephen Adler, the former Businessweek captain who is two months into his job as Reuters' editor-in-chief, announced the move in a staff memo Thursday afternoon.

"[Freeland] will manage a team that will select, customize, assign and produce text and multimedia content delivered to consumers via Reuters.com and its global suite of websites, as well as the flagship mobile news applications including NewsPro," Adler said in the memo, which was forwarded to The Cutline. "She and the team will explore exciting new projects in the digital space." She will also continue to write her weekly column.

Freeland, well known for her commentary and reporting, is one of Reuters' most recognizable names, and she's a regular on the TV news circuit. But in his note to staff, Adler pointed out her web bona fides.

"Chrystia brings to her new role a deep understanding of the importance of multimedia and a clear vision of the future of journalism," he said, noting Freeland's past stint as online editor at The Financial Times, where she was later bumped up to managing editor in charge of the U.K. broadsheet's print and online editions in the United States.

The announcement marks Adler's first appointment since assuming the top editorial slot at Reuters. Adler had previously headed up a Reuters division of specialty editorial products that has since been folded into the larger news group. Now his mission is to push for an expanded digital footprint, a move that dovetails with a simultaneous expansion of U.S.-based general interest news. Reuters' digital consumer portfolio includes Reuters.com and its affiliated international websites, and mobile apps for smart phones and tablets.

Adler is expected to announce additional senior hires in the coming weeks.