FT editor Lionel Barber said: “John has been an exceptional deputy and I greatly value his qualities as an astute and imaginative colleague. The Financial Times has some of the most authoritative comment on business and current affairs in the world, and as innovation editor John will have the important task of leading development of the next generation of digital comment.”
Foreign editor Roula Khalaf has been promoted to deputy editor.
Barber said: “Roula has masterfully lead a more than 100-strong team of foreign correspondents to cover some of the biggest recent stories in global governance. As deputy editor she will continue to drive the FT’s agenda-setting, borderless journalism at a significant time of growth in our digital presence and readership.”
Thornill as been at the FT for 27 years since joining as a graduate trainee.
Khalaf joined the FT in 1995 from Forbes magazine in New York.
In other moves Brooke Masters, the companies editor, and Paul Murphy, editor of FT Alphaville, are to become assistant editors.
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