Barney Mthombothi rejoins Financial Mail as editor

Mthombothi, who has been editor of the Kwazulu-Natal-based Sunday Tribune since May last year, is a highly experienced editor as well as a respected political commentator who also writes a weekly syndicated column for the Independent Group.

He will be taking over from the outgoing editor, Caroline Southey, who last month stepped down, but is remaining with the magazine as deputy editor.

This is Mthombothi's second stint with the Financial Mail. He joined that magazine as editor-at-large and columnist in 1999 before resigning to take over as Chief Executive: SABC News Division in November 2000.

"After a great time on the Financial Mail four years ago, I am looking forward to rejoining my colleagues and being part of the team that will build a strong offering for our readers.

"I believe that the Financial Mail is a leading business publication in South Africa and my role will be that of trying to make it better," said Mthombothi.

His academic successes include a notable double Fellowship - he became a Reuters Fellow at Oxford in 1986 and more recently, in 1994, a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, USA.

BDFM Managing Director, Mzimkulu Malunga, said he was delighted that Mthombothi was returning to the Financial Mail. "He is certainly one of the best journalists in South Africa and we have no doubt he is the right person to help us make the magazine a strong financial publication that reflects the true picture of the South African business scene."

Mthombothi has had a distinguished career in journalism. He served as assistant editor of The Star, day editor of Sowetan and Editor-in-Chief SABC Radio News. He also worked as current affairs producer for two years (1989 to 1991) for the BBC News Service in London.