'Wall Street Journal' Makes Key Appointments For Asia, Web

By: E&P Staff The Wall Street Journal announced two appointments to key editor positions involving the paper's Asia coverage and The Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ.com), according to a release.

Almar Latour has been appointed to the newly created role of editor-in-chief, Asia, for The Wall Street Journal's print and digital editions. He is currently managing editor of WSJ.com.

Latour will focus on growth strategy in the region and oversee The Wall Street Journal Asia, Asia.WSJ.com, Chinese.WSJ.com, India.WSJ.com and an planned Japanese-language Web site, the release said. Latour will be based in Hong Kong and report to Robert Thomson, editor-in-chief of Dow Jones & Company and managing editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Rebecca Blumenstein, international news editor for the Journal in New York, has been named managing editor of WSJ.com. Blumenstein will report to Alan Murray, deputy managing editor and executive editor, online, of The Wall Street Journal.

"Almar is an extraordinary leader and catapulted WSJ.com into an unparalleled period of growth with smart, relevant content and innovation, and his accomplishments both past and present will greatly serve us in Asia across all mediums," Thomson said in a statement. "There is no doubt that much of our future will be digital and that the coming years will be crucial for our online operations, and Rebecca has shown the genuine leadership necessary to keep WSJ.com on its current path of expansion and innovation. Both of these roles are fundamental to the success of the Journal franchise, and I look forward to continued excellence from both of these deserving editors."