The New York Times: Matt Purdy named editor at large

Matt Purdy

In my time in journalism, few among us have commanded the veneration and loyalty of reporters and editors as Matt Purdy. Many of the most impactful projects of recent years — Trump’s taxes, Air Wars, and the Me Too movement, to name just a few — had the imprint of Matt. His patient shepherding, signature style, and probing insights have made him a grandmaster of journalism that matters.

When I announced newsroom leadership appointments earlier this year, I promised that I would have more to say about Matt’s ongoing role. I’m now delighted to let you know that Matt has agreed to become our Editor at Large, a new leadership position in which he will continue to shape The Times’s most ambitious enterprise and investigative reporting and keep us competitive on important story lines.

Matt recently turned 66 and, in line with the company policy on masthead positions, will no longer serve as deputy managing editor. He will focus more on larger projects instead of direct management of several big desks and broad swaths of the daily report. But just as Dean did, I have come to rely on Matt’s journalistic instincts and judgment, and he has emerged as an important partner to Carolyn, Marc and the rest of the new leadership team as well.

In coming months, Matt will help us to put in place a team and structure to ensure that the enterprise machine The Times has become, including our investigations desk, enterprise on every major desk and in the magazine, as well as visual investigations, The Daily, and our film and television efforts, has the right oversight and support from newsroom leadership.

Matt, who spent formative years as a Metro reporter, editor and columnist, led the investigations desk for nine years before joining the masthead in 2013 with a mandate to raise our ambition and metabolism for enterprise broadly. Alongside Dean and editors like Rebecca Corbett, Paul Fishleder, Dean Murphy, Kirsten Danis and the late Christine Kay, he has made rich, human, public service enterprise journalism a cornerstone of our report.

It should come as little surprise then that I find Matt’s continued leadership role a comfort and privilege, especially as we continue to chart a course through the most turbulent news cycle in a generation.

Please join me in wishing Matt well in his new role.