Michael Stutchbury retires from AFR, James Chessell appointed editor-in-chief
By Colin Kruger
Michael Stutchbury, editor-in-chief of The Australian Financial Review, has announced he will retire next month after 13 years in the role and will be replaced by Walkley Award-winner and former executive editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age James Chessell.
Stutchbury, the AFR’s longest-serving editor, told staff today that the publication has never been more profitable.
“In contrast to 13 years ago, the Financial Review has never been more deeply embedded into the business community,” he said.
Editor-in-chief of the Financial Review, Michael Stutchbury, who has announced he is moving on from his role, with his replacement, James Chessell. Credit: Louie Douvis
Chessell, who takes over as editor-in-chief on August 12, praised his former boss. “I’m very excited about taking over from Stutch, who is the best editor I’ve worked for bar none,” Chessell said.
Managing Director of Nine Publishing, Tory Maguire, said Stutchbury was leaving the Financial Review in a powerful position and deserved enormous credit for building the masthead into arguably the most successful digital subscription publication in the country.
“Michael Stutchbury’s legacy at the AFR is immense, having led the newsroom through a period of ever-accelerating change in the way audiences consume and pay for journalism. He did this by ensuring the AFR is essential reading for anyone with an interest in corporate life, finance and politics,” Maguire said.
“Everyone in corporate Australia knows that to be in the conversation they need to read the AFR. You can see this when you look around at any AFR event and spot the countless decision-makers in the room.
Stutch’s fierce belief in what the AFR should be – high quality, relevant, fair and energetic – drove his approach to pushing the masthead to its full potential, including the development of the Financial Review’s highly successful Ventures events business. He is a giant of Australian journalism.”
Stutchbury is expected to finish up at the Financial Review on August 9 and will take a break before returning in a writing role as Editor-at-large later in the year.
Chessell was managing director of Nine Publishing until January this year. He was part of Financial Review teams that won the 2014 Walkley Award for Business Journalism and the 2013 Citi Journalism Award for Excellence.
“As a Walkley award-winning former Europe correspondent and Business editor for the Financial Review, James Chessell is the ideal person to take on this exciting challenge. The Financial Review is his natural home,” Stutchbury said.
Maguire said Chessell’s experience, including editing two of Australia’s biggest mastheads combined with his time running the publishing business, makes him uniquely qualified to step into such an important role.
“Having worked for James for more than five years while he was both executive editor and managing director, I know him to be the most energetic, talented and determined person to take the AFR on the next phase of its growth. He understands audiences and believes in storytelling of the highest standard.”
The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.