Will Lewis, publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, has announced his resignation. Lewis informed staff of his decision in an internal message Saturday, just days after the newspaper announced layoffs of about one-third of its newsroom staff.
Washington Post CEO Will Lewis has resigned after two years, days after the publication cut one-third of its newsroom staff.Also Read: Prince Harry accuses Washington Post CEO of covering up The Sun scandal
Who is Will Lewis?Will Lewis, 56, is a British journalist and media executive who was appointed CEO and publisher of The Washington Post in 2023.
Prior to joining the Post, Lewis had a long career in journalism and media management in the UK and US, holding leadership roles at Dow Jones & Company and The Wall Street Journal. Before his move to US media outlets, he held senior editorial positions at prominent UK tabloids, but not without notable scandals.
Just three days after his resignation, the Post repositioned the financially struggling publication and laid off about one-third of its staff, citing cost-cutting measures.
In an internal email to Post staff obtained by The Guardian, Lewis wrote, “After two years of transitioning everything – at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step down.”
He also thanked Jeff Bezos in the email, writing, “I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and publisher. There could not be a better owner of the company.”
Lewis has come under fire for his leadership and absence from all-staff meetings where the cuts were revealed.
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Will Lewis family and salaryDetails about his personal life were generally private, and Lewis rarely spoke publicly about his family outside of industry profiles. He mentioned his wife Rebecca as his maiden name in his Wapo profile when he was elected CEO.
Axios reported in 2024 that Lewis and his wife Rebecca spent more than $7 million on a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom Georgetown, Washington home and now live there with family.
He is known to hold several honorary degrees and has been recognized internationally for his contributions to journalism, including a knight bachelor’s honor received in 2023 as part of the UK’s resignation honours.
The exact figures of his salary have not been made public.
