Smale will join the IHT in January and will report to Walter Wells, the former managing editor who has been named executive editor.
She will be based in Paris, working with the regional news and business editors to plan coverage, as well as being involved in the future development of the paper.
Smale joined The New York Times in 1998 as assistant foreign editor and was made deputy foreign editor in 2002. Before that, she served as the Associated Press bureau chief for most Eastern Europe, based in Vienna, a role she held for 12 years. During this time, she reported on the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. She has also worked as a correspondent in Moscow and Bonn.
"We are very pleased to have Alison join the IHT. Her outstanding journalistic skills, extensive experience and deep understanding of global news issues will serve our readers and staff well," Wells said.
It is almost a year since The New York Times Company took full control of the International Herald Tribune, which had been run as a 50-50 joint venture with The Washington Post until the end of 2002.
There were fears that The New York Times planned to use the newspaper as the launch pad for a global edition, although any rebranding plans for the IHT have been pushed back -- partly by the furore over the reporter Jayson Blair.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
