Nicole MacIntyre has been announced as the Toronto Star’s next editor-in-chief, following Anne Marie Owens who has decided to pass the mantle, effective July 11.
The succession will put MacIntyre at the helm of Canada’s leading metropolitan daily newsroom, a natural transition from her current role as the Star’s deputy editor.
n making the announcement, Jordan Bitove, the publisher of the Toronto Star and owner of Torstar said, “Nicole represents the best of who we are as a newsroom – ambitious, courageous, caring – and who we want to be as leaders and innovators in the industry. Her enthusiasm, compassion and curiosity are change-making. Whether it’s helping a reporter shape a stronger story, leading a team through tumultuous times or sparking new ideas from data to better serve our readers, Nicole is all-in and inspiring.”
As a leader, MacIntyre is known to embrace technology, while honouring legacy – a combination Bitove said will both elevate the Star’s high-quality journalism and enhance the reader experience.
MacIntyre started her career in the 2003 cohort of the Toronto Star’s internship program after attaining a Master of Journalism at Western University. She became an enterprising reporter, covering crime and municipal politics for various Ontario newsrooms, including a decade with The Hamilton Spectator before heading to The Globe and Mail in 2015. After earning her place as the Globe’s deputy national editor, MacIntyre left to join Owens’ newly formed executive leadership team in 2021, returning to the Star with the same passion that inspired her some 20 years earlier.
“The Toronto Star is where I fell in love with reporting more than two decades ago,” said MacIntyre. “I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead this incredibly talented newsroom and build on the Star’s legacy of producing ambitious, indispensable journalism. I want the Star to be an essential subscription for every engaged citizen who believes in the power of independent media to shape our city and country for the better.”
After three years working side-by-side, Owens said it’s time for MacIntyre to take the lead.
“The newsroom could not be in better hands than with a leader like Nicole, who combines impeccable news judgment, exceedingly high standards and ambitious goals with an authentically human-focused approach to leadership,” said Owens.
Owens’ own career has spanned over 35 years in journalism with a third of that time in senior editorial roles. She was deputy editor of Macleans and editor in chief of the National Post before stepping in to lead the Toronto Star.
Torstar CEO, Neil Oliver attributes the smooth transition and the Star’s stability to Owens’ stewardship, “Anne Marie’s conviction for the Star and its essential role for Canadians fueled her every effort. She embodied our purpose – to serve the people – readers, reporters and citizens alike.”
Bitove added, “Neil and I could not be more grateful for Anne Marie’s transformative leadership over the past three years, and for her care to set us up for success and growth in the future. AMO came here with a mission and a timeline, in what had to be one of the most tumultuous moments of recent history. In April 2021, the entire world was struggling to hold onto humanity and democracy as we grappled with COVID, and the ramifications of the U.S. insurrection and George Floyd’s murder. Getting Anne Marie to step back into the world of journalism at that time – for the Star – was critical for us and for Canadian journalism, overall. The fact that she did so, was a blessing.”
Owens said, “It has been such an honour and a privilege to lead this essential institution. You are reminded every day that the Star serves a purpose bigger than its deep history and strong journalistic record – it is a powerful and increasingly necessary engine for righting wrongs, championing causes, giving voice, upholding democracy. I am indebted to Jordan and Neil for giving me this unmatched opportunity in the first place, for their constant support and for continually fighting for this paper and our entire embattled industry.”
