Gideon Lichfield named global editorial director of Wired

Gideon Lichfield, who has been editor-in-chief of MIT Technology Review since 2017, has been named global editorial director of Wired, the company announced on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Lichfield replaces Nicholas Thompson, who left the company to become CEO of The Atlantic earlier this year. Thompson's title had been editor-in-chief.

Details: Lichfield will set the overall content strategy, vision and tone across all of Wired’s platforms, the company said in a statement announcing his hire. Wired owns and operates titles in the U.S., U.K., Italy and Japan.

• "In addition to his global role, he will also oversee the US edition of Wired," the release states.
• Prior to MIT Technology Review, Lichfield was an editor at Quartz for more than five years and at the Economist for more than 16 years.
• “Gideon’s experience gives him a unique perspective on the way tech affects every aspect of our lives and he will both inspire and challenge Wired’s audience in the best ways,” said Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer of Conde Nast.

The big picture: Many newsrooms, including the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Reuters, HuffPost and ProPublica, are looking for new editors. Soon, the New York Times will be too.

What's next: Lichfield's appointment takes effect on March 22.

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