News Corporation looks set to name Australian-born managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Robert Thomson as chief executive of its forthcoming publishing arm.
A report in News Corp's The Wall Street Journal revealed the title's managing editor and Australian expat Robert Thomson as the man in line to head the publishing company.
The speculation comes some months after News Corp confirmed it would split its publishing assets from its media and entertainment businesses. The separation is expected to be finalised by June next year.
The upcoming publishing division will house all of News Corp's Australian assets including Foxtel and Fox Sports, and News Limited, which prints titles including The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun.
It will also consist of its US and UK mastheads including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The Sun and The Times. News Corp's book publishing brands such as HarperCollins, its digital education group and its integrated marketing services company will also be housed in the publishing group.
At the time of the announcement, News Corp said its chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch would retain his titles but only serve as the chairman of the publishing arm.
It is yet to officially announce who will lead its publishing division and declined to comment on the reports.
A News Limited spokesperson told AdNews: "We don’t comment on speculation. It would be a News Corp announcement and we don’t speak for them."
The 51-year old Thomson was born in Australia and began his career in 1979 as a reporter at Melbourne's Herald Sun. He then went to work as a journalist in Asia, before editing News Corp's Times of London in 2002. He then took the reins as Dow Jones editor in chief and The Wall Street Journal editor in 2008.
It is understood The Wall Street
Journal's deputy editor Gerard Baker will replace Thomson.
Meanwhile, the company has also announced that News International chief executive Tom Mockridge will leave after less than two years in the top job.
Mockridge has previously held roles at Foxtel, Star TV and SkyNZ. He was appointed his current role in July 2011 and will leave at the end of the year. It is unknown what his next venture will be.
News Corporation chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch said: “For nearly 22 years, it has been my pleasure to have Tom Mockridge as a colleague. Whether it was his early days with our newspaper group in Australia, his incredible work building SKY Italia, or his steadfast leadership of News International, Tom has always been a skilled executive and a trusted friend.
"His decision to step down is absolutely and entirely his own. I am sorry to see him leave us but I know he will be a great success wherever he goes.”
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