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I missed the first phone call yesterday morning – too busy gassing to one of our reporters about Nigella Lawson. Fortunately, our Chairman, Evgeny, persisted, and within five minutes he called me back. I was appointed Editor of i.
The walk from my old seat as Head of News to the Editor’s chair is a short one: 20 feet across the middle of our big, open-plan newsroom, where I’ve spent the past nine years. During that time, the most significant event – apart from our acquisition by the Lebedev family – has been the birth of i. For us, it was a revelation. Lots more people want to read our journalism, it turns out, and many of you want to tell us what you think about it. Try to imagine our excitement.
Your enthusiasm and affection are what make i a phenomenon. While some newspapers falter, i’s readership grows, up to 300,000 a day from that standing start two-and-a-half years ago. We are grateful for your support and we don’t take it for granted.
For me, becoming i Editor will mean fewer 6am starts fuelled by a vat of black coffee, and more late-night finishes. I’m lucky to inherit the formidable work of Stefano Hatfield and Rhodri Jones, who I’m thrilled will continue as Deputy Editor. And I will obviously receive all the trappings of office – the complementary green eyeshade, braces and bike parking space.
For you, well, there’ll be no sudden changes. I’m not mad. We always look to give you more of what you want while maintaining i’s founding principles of quality, brevity and open dialogue with our readers. So please do get in touch with old gripes and new wheezes, on oliver.duff@independent.co.uk or Twitter @olyduff. In return we promise honest journalism, a progressive view of the world and to tell it straight.
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