The Toronto Star has named The Globe and Mail's Giles Gherson as its new editor-in-chief.
"The Star has a fairly unique position among Canadian newspapers because it has a mission. Apart from strong reporting and accuracy . . . it has a social mission. . . . This is something that the editor really has to take charge of," Mr. Gherson said yesterday.
The 47-year-old native of London, England, who joined The Globe in January as editor of the Report on Business, will begin his job at the Star in late September.
Star publisher Michael Goldbloom said Mr. Gherson brings "significant intellect, integrity and experience" to the Star "with a passion both for journalism and public policy."
"This is a big newspaper and a big city. I'm new both to the newspaper and to the city so there are significant challenges for me being the publisher of the Star . . . I felt our newsroom required an editor who could focus his full attention on the newsroom and the content of the Star," Mr. Goldbloom said.
During his 24-year career in journalism, Mr. Gherson has worked as a reporter, foreign correspondent, columnist, bureau chief and editor at organizations including the Edmonton Journal, Southam News and the Financial Times of Canada.
In the mid-1990s, he spent two years working with the federal Liberals on changes to the social-security system.
"In a very diverse city like Toronto, it's important to keep one's eye on issues like injustice and equality and to expose injustices. That's an important part of what the Star is and it's something I feel really strongly about," Mr. Gherson said.
Mr. Goldbloom said the new editor's "record of accomplishment" speaks volumes about what he will bring to the Star.
"There is no perfect preparation for becoming the editor of a major metropolitan newspaper but I think Giles comes pretty close," he said.
Mary Deanne Shears will continue in her capacity as the Star's managing editor.