MacIntyre named as Star's editor-in-chief

Anne Marie Owens says the time is right to step down after leading newsroom since April 2021

- FRANCINE KOPUN

Nicole MacIntyre, left, has been promoted to editor-in-chief as Anne Marie Owens, right, steps down after more than three years leading the Toronto Star newsroom.

Nicole MacIntyre, a veteran Canadian journalist who has risen through the ranks of leading national and metropolitan newspapers over a 22-year career, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star, effective July 11.

"The Toronto Star is where I fell in love with reporting more than two decades ago," said MacIntyre, 44, a former Star intern who was hired from the Globe and Mail in 2021 to be the Star's managing editor of news.

She was appointed deputy editor in 2023.

"I'm humbled by the opportunity to lead this incredibly talented newsroom and build on the Star's legacy of producing ambitious, indispensable journalism."

MacIntyre replaces Anne Marie Owens, who was appointed editor-in-chief in April 2021, at a time when the world was mired in a pandemic and the Star was grappling with turbulence in the industry and changes in the structure of the organization itself, after it was purchased by private investors in 2020.

"My priorities when I started were to elevate our journalism, push digital transformation and create a cohesive, engaged newsroom," Owens wrote in a letter shared with staff.

"One of the reasons I feel so confident stepping away now is that we've hit the mark on all those priorities, and, in building a strong leadership team, have the very best leader to take the Star into the future."