The Washington Post has named veteran media executive Alex Wallace its chief operating officer, bringing in a former NBC News and Yahoo leader to help steer the newspaper’s business operations as it pushes toward profitability following years of financial losses and sweeping layoffs.
Wallace, who begins Monday, Oct. 19, will report directly to CEO and publisher Jeff D’Onofrio, the company announced Thursday. She will help execute the Post’s business strategy, coordinate operations across departments and track performance against company goals.
The appointment comes a month after D’Onofrio was named permanent CEO and publisher, as the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper attempts to rebuild its business following deep newsroom cuts and years of financial losses.
“Alex’s career is a testament to moving one step ahead in the rapid pace of our changing news ecosystem,” D’Onofrio said in a statement. “Her keen business acumen and digital media fluency will help The Post lead more decisively in our next chapter.”
Wallace is already familiar with the company. Since launching Wallace Advisory in June 2022, she has counseled media businesses on strategy and growth, with clients including RedBird IMI and The Washington Post.
In an internal memo to staff Thursday, D’Onofrio framed the appointment as part of the newspaper’s effort to improve its financial performance without sacrificing editorial independence.
“She is the ideal leadership addition as we advance our shared business goals without compromising our commitment to journalistic independence and editorial integrity,” he wrote.
Wallace previously served as executive vice president and head of media and content at Yahoo, overseeing properties including Yahoo News, Sports, Finance and Entertainment, along with TechCrunch. She also held senior leadership positions at Verizon Media. At NBC News, she held multiple executive roles, eventually overseeing programming and newsgathering as a senior vice president. Earlier in her career, Wallace worked on CBS News programs including “CBS Evening News with Dan Rather” and “CBS This Morning.”
Her arrival follows a turbulent period for the Post. Former CEO and publisher Will Lewis resigned in February, days after the newspaper laid off more than 300 journalists, eliminated its sports and books sections and sharply reduced its foreign and local coverage.
Despite those cuts, the Post said in September it was on track to break even in 2026, its closest approach to profitability in five years. The company also reported selling more than 300,000 subscriptions and increasing programmatic advertising revenue by 53% year over year.
Her appointment gives D’Onofrio an experienced operator as the Post tries to translate its improving financial outlook into a viable long-term business.
