Reuters has announced that it has appointed "internationally-renowned correspondent" Jonathan Ford to the newly created position role of Reuters Commentary Editor, effective December 11, 2008. According to the press release Ford will "drive the development of commentary for Reuters worldwide, looking at opportunities to enhance Reuters international news offering and to give additional valuable insight and expertise."

In case they weren't already on your radar Reuters launched columns in 2007 (can a social-networking site be far behind?) to "provide added insight, analysis and a range of views to Thomson Reuters professional, financial, and media clients, and readers around the world." Prior to taking this position Ford was a founder and deputy editor of Breakingviews.com, a journalist on the Financial Times, and a financial reporter on the Evening Standard. Full release after the jump.

Jonathan Ford Appointed As Reuters Commentary Editor

LONDON — (November 25, 2008) — Reuters today announced the appointment of internationally-renowned correspondent, Jonathan Ford, to the role of Reuters Commentary Editor, effective December 11, 2008.

In this new role based out of London, Ford will drive the development of commentary for Reuters worldwide, looking at opportunities to enhance Reuters international news offering and to give additional valuable insight and expertise.

"A journalist of Jonathan's experience and stature will add true insight to our coverage," said Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger. "I'm delighted that he will lead this important part of our editorial offering and very much look forward to him joining the team."

Columns were first introduced in 2007, as part of Reuters editorial strategy to provide added insight, analysis and a range of views to Thomson Reuters professional, financial and media clients and readers around the world.

Complementing Reuters core news file, Reuters columns provide context, expertise and opinion on diverse topics such as commodities and energy, macroeconomics, technology, European policy, emerging markets and M&A. In his role as Commentary Editor, Ford will increase the variety of columns offered, and build the existing expert team across Reuters editorial.

Ford is an internationally-regarded editor and journalist, and for the past 15 years, has written for publications that include Prospect, The Financial Times, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, and the Economist, and is also an experienced broadcast journalist, appearing on BBC News, CNN and CNBC.

From 2000 to 2007, Ford was a founder and deputy editor of Breakingviews.com, the financial commentary website. Prior to that, he was a journalist on the Financial Times, where he was a member of the Lex column, and a financial reporter on the Evening Standard. Before becoming a journalist, Ford worked as an investment banker at Morgan Grenfell.

"I'm very excited about joining Reuters and am looking forward to the challenge of extending the world's pre-eminent financial news brand further into the realm of commentary and opinion," said Ford.