Reuters appoints new chief photographer for UK and Ireland

Reuters new chief photographer for the UK and Ireland is a former staffer who has returned to the agency after a period of teaching and freelancing.

Suzanne Plunkett's (photo) work includes an iconic image of workers fleeing the collapsing World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

She has spent the past seven years teaching and freelancing in London for news organisations including The New York Times and CNN. Before that she had been a staff photographer at Reuters for seven years, a senior photographer at Bloomberg and a chief photographer at the Associated Press.

“I cover a little of everything, including politics, sports and features. I love breaking news, sports - particularly tennis - and anything quirky or offbeat. My favourite thing is to work as a team with a writer on long-term projects,” Plunkett said.

Covering the 9/11 attacks in the United States completely changed the course of her career and broadened her horizons, galvanising her interest in stories outside the home country.

“Ten years ago I was single, living in New York and had never worked in another country. Today, I have a family, live in London and have worked in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, East Timor, Cambodia, Nigeria and across Europe,” she said.

"I always enjoyed the competition that I felt from Reuters photographers when I was working for newspapers and other wire services. Now that I am part of the team, I am constantly challenged and inspired by my colleagues’ high standard of photography.”

Plunkett, a Minnesota native, will start her new role on 16 January 2023. ■