News International hires Will Lewis to fill new role

News International has appointed the Telegraph’s former managing director of digital, Will Lewis to the new role of group general manager.

Will Lewis
Will Lewis

Lewis, a former editor of the newspaper who suddenly left his digital position in May, will have overall responsibility for coordinating editorial spending across all four national titles: The Sun, The Times, News of the World and The Sunday Times and will also help drive developments in digital technology.

News International says he will work with the chief technology officer to implement a next generation of editorial technology that will support the production of content across a range of digital distribution platforms.

Lewis will report to Rebekah Brooks, Chief Executive, News International.

Brooks says: “Will brings an enormous range of experience within the newspaper
industry, including three years on The Sunday Times. This will enable him to implement best practice across the four titles, helping us to maximise our investment in editorial and ensuring that we are best placed to deliver on our commitment to invest and innovate for customers in the future.”

Lewis adds: “A commitment to invest in editorial sits at the heart of everything that News International does and they are leading the industry in developing new ways to deliver returns on that commitment. I am looking forward to joining Rebekah and her team and helping them to take the business forward.”

He will join News International after the summer.

The move comes a week after The Times placed its website behind a paywall.