Gillian Tett is the Financial Times’ new U.S. managing editor, replacing Martin Dickson, who is retiring. Tett, an anthropologist by training, sounded an early (and mostly ignored) warning about the financial crisis, as Laura Barton recounted in the Guardian:
“I happen to think anthropology is a brilliant background for looking at finance,” she reasons. “Firstly, you’re trained to look at how societies or cultures operate holistically, so you look at how all the bits move together. And most people in the City don’t do that. They are so specialised, so busy, that they just look at their own little silos. And one of the reasons we got into the mess we are in is because they were all so busy looking at their own little bit that they totally failed to understand how it interacted with the rest of society.
Financial Times’ release:
NEW YORK, 15 May 2014: The Financial Times today announces the appointment of Gillian Tett to the role of US managing editor. Tett returns to oversee the FT’s print and online editions in the Americas from 1 September. She will continue her twice-weekly column that earned her recognition as ‘columnist of year’ at the 2014 Press Awards.
Tett succeeds Martin Dickson who retires after an illustrious 37-year career at the FT. His leadership as US managing editor has seen the FT win numerous awards for its quality journalism, including a prestigious Gerald Loeb Award, one of the highest honours in business journalism.
FT editor Lionel Barber commented: “Martin Dickson is a distinguished journalist, manager and editor whose commitment, astute judgment and deep knowledge of business and finance have made an invaluable contribution to the FT for more than three decades. As deputy editor from 2005 to 2012, he played an indispensable role in the transformation of the FT into a digital first news organisation with an increasing global presence. In the US, he has led the newsroom with deft authority, strengthening our reputation in an important market.”
“I am delighted to welcome Gillian back to the role of US managing editor. Her role will be crucial as we continue to transform and develop the Financial Times for a new generation of readers,” he said.
Tett joined the FT in 1993 and has served in editing and reporting roles in London, New York, Tokyo, Russia and Brussels. She has a PhD in social anthropology from Cambridge University. Her upcoming book, to be published by Simon & Schuster in 2015, will look at the global economy and financial system through the lens of cultural anthropology.
Over the course of his tenure, Dickson has held senior writing and editing positions, including creating the highly respected Lombard column of business comment in 2002. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including Business Journalist of the Year and Best Opinion Writer of the Year in the 2005 Business Journalist of the Year Awards and a prestigious Wincott Foundation award in 2006 as Senior Financial Journalist of the Year. He joined the FT in 1976.
