Joining the US team will be Katie Davies as US Editor and John T Bennett as Washington DC Bureau Chief.
Davies returns to The Independent, where she previously worked on the news desk in London until 2012. She has spent the past seven years at MailOnline in New York, rising to the position of senior editor and helping to grow its digital audience in the US.
Bennett joins from Roll Call, where he has been White House correspondent for four years, having specialised in political analysis and reporting throughout his career.
In a change of role, Richard Hall will be relocated from his position as Middle East Correspondent in Beirut to become a Senior US Correspondent in New York.
These new positions further prove the ambitions of The Independent as a publisher of quality journalism for its readership in the US, now established as the title’s biggest market, say the publishers.
The Independent is currently hiring further reporting roles for its New York newsroom, including a Climate Correspondent.
These changes are made as part of newly appointed CEO Zach Leonard’s remit to continue the expansion of the digital title, particularly its North American audience.
Christian Broughton, editor of The Independent, comments: “As President Trump moves from impeachment to re-election campaign, and with an unprecedented focus on the climate crisis, the year ahead offers The Independent a golden opportunity to establish a reputation for truly independent, free-thinking journalism within the most dynamic news market of all. I can’t wait to work with Katie again, give John a broader platform on which to share his outstanding analysis, and provide Richard with a new territory for his endless energy and commitment to finding truly remarkable stories.”
Zach Leonard, CEO of The Independent, added: “The US is a critical strategic – and the largest – market for The Independent. Investing in our growth there in the run up to the 2020 election and beyond will enrich our editorial and commercial proposition for our valuable audiences, advertisers and partners.”
