The Washington Post CEO and publisher Will Lewis announced Saturday that he resigns, effective immediately. The paper’s chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, will serve as interim CEO and publisher.
His departure comes just three days after the newspaper laid off nearly one-third of its staff as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures aimed at addressing ongoing financial losses. Lewis did not appear at the all-staff meeting where the layoffs were announced, a decision that drew criticism from employees.
In an email to staff, Lewis said the timing was right for him to leave.
“After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” he wrote. He thanked owner Jeff Bezos for his support and described him as an exceptional steward of the institution.
Lewis also addressed recent criticism surrounding the layoffs, which eliminated at least 300 newsroom positions in one of the largest staff reductions in modern American media.
“During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day,” he wrote.
In a memo to staff, D’Onofrio acknowledged the challenges facing the organization and the broader media industry.
“This is a challenging time across all media organizations, and The Post is unfortunately no exception,” he wrote. “I’m honored to take the helm as acting Publisher and CEO to lead us into a sustainable, successful future with the strength of our journalism as our north star.”
Bezos, who purchased The Washington Post in 2013, issued a statement praising the publication’s mission and its leadership team but did not directly address Lewis’s tenure.
“The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity,” Bezos said. “Jeff, along with executive editor Matt Murray and opinion editor Adam O’Neal, are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter.”
Executive editor Matt Murray had previously defended Lewis when questioned about his absence during the layoffs, saying Lewis had been closely involved in the company’s restructuring efforts.
Lewis, 56, joined The Washington Post after a long career within Rupert Murdoch’s media organizations. He previously served as chief executive and publisher of The Wall Street Journal and held senior editorial roles at the Financial Times, The Sunday Times, and The Daily Telegraph.
His tenure at the Post was marked by controversy and financial strain. Some current and former journalists criticized his leadership and questioned whether his strategic initiatives improved the paper’s performance.
The Washington Post Guild, which represents many employees, issued a statement following his departure calling it overdue and urging Bezos to reverse the recent layoffs or consider new ownership willing to invest in the newspaper’s future.
Lewis’s exit signals another major shift at the Washington Post as the publication continues to grapple with economic pressures and internal unrest.
He thanked owner Jeff Bezos for his support, calling him “an exceptional owner,” and said difficult decisions had been made to secure the Post’s long-term future and preserve its ability to deliver nonpartisan journalism to millions of readers.
