Washington Post CEO Will Lewis Resigns: Washington Post CEO and Publisher Will Lewis has suddenly resigned. The decision comes just three days after the newspaper announced layoffs of one-third of its staff, sparking widespread discontent in the newsroom. Lewis announced his resignation in a brief email sent to staff on Saturday.

Lewis wrote in the email – After two years of change at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside. I want to express my gratitude to Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. This organization cannot have a better owner than this. During my tenure, difficult decisions have been made to ensure the long-term future of the Post, so that it can continue to publish high-quality, non-partisan news to millions of subscribers every day for many years to come. With gratitude, Will

In this email, Lewis thanked Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos and described him as the best boss for the organization. However, he made no mention of staff or journalists, which sparked sharp reactions on social media. Many users have called it the opposite of servant leadership. One user wrote – Praised the owner, but not a single word for the staff.

Thanked customers not readers

Others noted that he used the word customers instead of readers, which reflected the newspaper’s commercial mindset. Some also commented on the email’s passive voice and lack of topic. 56-year-old British journalist and media executive Will Lewis became the CEO and publisher of the Washington Post in 2023. Earlier, he held key positions in Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal. In the UK he held senior editorial roles in major tabloids.

He was appointed by Jeff Bezos, who bought the newspaper in 2013 for about $250 million. During Lewis’s tenure, the Washington Post was suffering continuous financial losses. Nearly 300 journalists were laid off in the recent retrenchment, with local, international, sports and photography departments badly affected.

The sports section was closed. Lewis and Bezos did not attend the staff meeting when these layoffs were announced, which increased the criticism. The Washington Post Guild described the layoffs as illogical, while prominent politicians such as Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren also condemned it. Following the resignation, the newspaper’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff D’Onofrio has been made interim publisher and CEO.