Days after The Washington Post laid off nearly one-third of its staff, the outlet’s publisher and CEO, Will Lewis, has stepped down. Current CFO Jeff D’Onofrio will step into Lewis’ role, effective immediately.
“After two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside,” Lewis wrote in an email to staffers that was then shared to X by Post reporter Matt Viser. “I want to thank Jeff Bezos for his support and leadership throughout my tenure as CEO and Publisher. The institution could not have a better owner.”
Lewis’ note continued: “During my tenure, difficult decisions have been taken in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post so it can for many years ahead publish high-quality nonpartisan news to millions of customers each day.”
D’Onofrio joined the Post in June 2025, having formerly been the CFO of Raptive and, before then, the CEO of Tumblr. He also held leadership roles at Yahoo and Google.
“The Post’s resolute commitment to writing the first rough draft of history anchors and imprints its future,” said D’Onofrio in a statement. “I am honored to become part of charting that future and to take the lead in securing both the legacy and business of this fierce, storied American institution.”
Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, also issued a statement: “The Post has an essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity. Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus. Jeff, along with Matt and Adam, are positioned to lead The Post into an exciting and thriving next chapter.”
Lewis’ statement on his departure is the first Washington Post staffers have heard from the executive following Wednesday’s layoffs, though a now-viral snap posted of Lewis to X shows that he was at a red carpet for the NFL honors on Thursday ahead of the Super Bowl in San Francisco.
Prior to stepping down, Lewis had served as the newspaper’s publisher and CEO for the past two years,