Ex Daily Mail editor made new head of digital-only The Independent
The Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday’s former editor Geordie Greig has been appointed editor in chief of digital-only national The Independent.
The Independent’s owner IDNML said Greig would be joining the paper with immediate effect.
Grieg edited the Daily Mail, which is Britain’s highest circulation newspaper between 2018 and 2022. Before that he was editor of the Mail on Sunday and the Evening Standard.
The Independent has an estimated average monthly global audience of 76.5m unique users, including 21.4m UK users, and is published in six languages worldwide.
The Independent was established politically independent daily newspaper founded in 1986, scrapped its print version and became digital-only in 2016.
A Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, was launched in 1990.
The newspaper has changed hands several times in its history. Its original owner Newspaper Publishing, sold its controlling shares to Independent News and Media PLC (INM) and to Mirror Group Newspapers in 1995. In 1998 Mirror Group assumed full control of the paper.
In 2004 it rebranded as tabloid edition and in 2010 was bought by Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB agent. His son Evgeny now runs the paper alongside its sister title Evening Standard.
The Independent continues its history of sustained profit and innovation, launching initiatives like Independent TV, which today delivers up to 72m monthly video views through independent.co.uk, and millions more through social media and CTV.
Greig said: “I am delighted to become editor in chief of The Independent, the only title that has successfully made the transition from national newspaper to global news platform, whilst maintaining editorial integrity and remaining profitable throughout.
“The Independent is the UK’s leading quality digital title, outpacing The Guardian, Telegraph and Times. This sustained large scale readership is a testament to The Independent’s commitment to truly independent, authoritative news coverage, and I look forward to leading the brilliant editorial team that is successfully making journalism a force for good. Unquestionably, given the world we live in, this has never been more important.”
“In the US we are the eighth largest, and fastest growing digital news brand – larger than the Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post, and BuzzfeedNews. The company’s focus on innovation is market leading, building media channels like Independent TV that engage and retain audiences better than anyone else in the sector.”
John Paton, chairman of IDNML said: “Geordie Greig’s appointment as editor in chief was a defining moment for The Independent.
“Geordie has been the editor of three Fleet St papers and has a brilliant track record for building news brands that successfully deliver for their audiences, growing readership and audience engagement. Geordie’s experience will be critical as we look to further build news teams around the world to extend our global reach.”