Washington Post CEO Will Lewis Resigns After Layoffs

Will Lewis, the chief executive and publisher of The Washington Post, announced his resignation on Saturday, just days after the newspaper laid off more than 300 journalists in a move that eliminated about one-third of its newsroom staff.

The departure, effective immediately, follows a turbulent period marked by financial challenges and internal unrest at the publication, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Lewis, who joined the Post in January 2024 to address years of declining readership and revenue losses, cited the need for fresh leadership in a memo to staff. "After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside," he wrote. "I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner."

In the same message, Lewis defended the recent staff reductions as necessary steps. "During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day," he stated. The layoffs, announced on Wednesday,...