Will Lewis: Telegraph Media Group confirms departure

The Telegraph Media Group has confirmed that editor-in-chief Will Lewis is to leave the company. MediaGuardian.co.uk revealed yesterday that Lewis is to leave after a disagreement with chief executive Murdoch MacLennan over the future digital direction of the publisher. Tony Gallagher replaced Lewis as editor of the Daily Telegraph six months ago , with Lewis becoming editor-in-chief as well as heading up a new entrepreneurial unit based in Euston. MacLennan said in a statement: "Will has been a superb colleague, helping transform our operation into the UK's leading multi media quality publisher and establishing Euston Partners to take TMG forward into its next phase of development. Having achieved so much here, I understand his reasons for wanting to move on. We wish him every success." The statement, which confirmed "that William Lewis is to leave TMG in the near future", does not contain a comment from the former editor-in-chief and managing director, digital. MacLennan is understood to have addressed Lewis's Euston staff today. Lewis and MacLennan are understood to have clashed over whether the Euston operation should become a standalone business unit or remain part of TMG. He became the Telegraph's youngest ever editor in 2006 and his appointment was followed by a raft of high-profile departures. A number of senior Associated Newspapers executives followed MacLennan to the Telegraph, including Gallagher and Ian MacGregor, who is now editor of the Sunday Telegraph. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".