LONDON (Brand Republic) - UK information and media group Reuters has appointed American lawyer Tom Glocer as its new chief executive -- the first time a non-journalist has taken the helm at the company.
Glocer is currently the head of Reuters biggest division, the New York-based Reuters Information division. The appointment breaks a second tradition as Glocer will be the first American to be chief executive of the British company.
He joins fellow American Marjorie Scardino, the chief executive British media company Pearson, which owns the Financial Times.
Glocer was tipped as the favourite to take over from Peter Job, who is to retire in July 2001. It is understood that Reuters has been looking for a replacement for more than a year.
Reuters’ chairman Sir Christopher Hogg said that the need for continuity after recent organisational changes led the company to choose an insider.
Before joining the Reuters legal department in 1993, Glocer worked as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer for the Davis, Polk & Wardwell law firm. In 1998, he became responsible for Reuters Information in the Americas.
Since then, Glocer has worked closely with current chief Peter Job to devise Reuters’ new strategy to concentrate on internet-based services.