Jeff D’Onofrio has been named the permanent publisher and chief executive officer of The Washington Post, owner Jeff Bezos informed employees Wednesday in an internal email. The move formalizes D’Onofrio’s role after a seven-month period as interim publisher and CEO.
D’Onofrio initially joined The Post in June 2025 as the company’s chief financial officer. He assumed the interim publisher and CEO responsibilities following the departure of William Lewis, who had led the newspaper beginning in January 2024 and left his post in February.
Lewis resigned days after the outlet announced sweeping layoffs that affected roughly one-third of its workforce. The newspaper has since navigated a period marked by both political and financial challenges, including owner decisions and editorial changes that provoked reactions from staff and subscribers.
According to a spokesperson quoted by Bloomberg, The Washington Post is currently on track to break even and is positioned to finish the year on its closest path to profitability in five years. The spokesperson also noted that the paper has sold more than 300,000 individual subscriptions so far this year.
The personnel change formalizes leadership at a moment when the business is seeking greater financial stability amid continued operational and editorial shifts. D’Onofrio’s elevation from CFO to interim leader and now to the permanent publisher and CEO consolidates the top management role under an executive who has been in place since June 2025.
Context and outlook
- Appointment announced by owner Jeff Bezos in an email to staff.
- D’Onofrio served as chief financial officer before becoming interim publisher and CEO.
- William Lewis had led the paper from January 2024 until stepping down in February.
The reporting on the organization’s financial trajectory and subscription performance was attributed to a spokesperson speaking with Bloomberg. The publisher’s new permanent status comes as the publication attempts to balance editorial decisions and subscriber sentiment with a path to improved financial results.