Reuters shrinks editorial training department

Sebastian Tong, financial specialist training editor for Asia based in Singapore, left in December.

Anne Senior, who was both global head of editorial learning and training manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, left the company in January.

The new Reuters approach to editorial training was unveiled by editor-in-chief Stephen Adler in December. It gives more importance to on-the-job learning and less emphasis on the stand-alone training operation. Adler linked future training to changes in the news industry, tighter budgets and market pressures which he said continued to constrain spending.

The smaller department comprises one regional trainer each for EMEA, Asia and the Americas, who report to their respective regional editors, a dedicated on-site trainer in Bangalore and a London-based editor/writing coach who has a part-time training role.

Two years ago the global editorial training team was 11 strong.

Training in the Americas, where former companies editor Ed Tobin took the role of training editor in late 2014, was not directly affected by the latest review of training strategy.

The editorial training department has traditionally run Reuters trainee and intern programmes as well as facilitating workshops and other programmes for staff.

Announcing the change in Europe, the Middle East and Africa,, Richard Mably, EMEA editor, wrote in an e-mail to staff that Charlotte Cooper, a London-based financial trainer since 2011, would take on added responsibility for training across the region.

He said: “Graduate trainees both, Anne and Charlotte are passionate about training and learning because they’ve seen the benefits of it in their own careers, both as givers and receivers. Anne is that rare bird - a journalist who is a professionally qualified trainer. She joined Reuters as a trainee in 1987 and has personally delivered training to more than 700 Reuters reporters since becoming Asia’s training editor in 2005. She worked for Reuters in Washington, New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, Singapore and finally London as first EMEA and then EMEA/global training editor. We are very fortunate to be able to turn to Charlotte to take on the EMEA part of Anne’s role. She too was a trainee back in 1990, heading to Bonn, Milan, Frankfurt, London credit and FX, Mumbai as bureau chief, Tokyo running Asian financial markets and then back to London.”

Senior, closing 27 years with Reuters, remembered “plenty of bylines and reporting adventures”, but said the highlights were always the collaborative activities of editing, TV production and training.

“Nothing was more satisfying than seeing a reporter land a scoop with tips shared in a seminar, a photographer deliver a stunning photo essay with ideas from a course I helped to make happen, or a trainee journalist blossom into an accomplished correspondent,” she wrote in a farewell e-mail.

“The standout memories include news leadership workshops with many senior journalists who must take Reuters forward into a challenging future. As you do so, I hope that some of you will remember the value of training.”

She thanked her training team mates and the many editors and reporters, especially in London, Singapore, Tokyo and Bangalore, who had been inspiring colleagues and friends. “I will miss you and all the other clever, dedicated, resourceful, witty and principled people at Reuters.” ■