Dow Jones (NYSE: NWS) has picked a local publishing exec with online tenure to lead The Wall Street Journal’s assault on Europe next year as it squares up to The Financial Times on its own turf. Andrew Langhoff, CEO of DJ’s Ottaway local publisher, will be publisher of WSJ Europe and MD of DJ’s consumer media group across the whole EMEA region, starting January 5. For extra brownie points, he will also run the South America consumer business, including The Wall Street Journal Americas.

Over the last year, DJ has upped its European news coverage, debuted the US WSJ edition in some London locations and added a magazine to the European edition. But the ‘09 push is online. Guardian editorial development director Neil McIntosh is already due to start as WSJ.com’s Europe editor in the new year and WSJ’s LA bureau chief Bruce Orwall is moving to run the London bureau.

In the announcement, Dow Jones CEO Les Hinton stressed Langhoff’s “proven track record at growing print and digital publications” - his resume includes stints overseeing ESPN.com and ABCNews.com development for Walt Disney’s internet group and he was internet development VP at Ottaway for two years. One of Langhoff’s goals will be developing “local sections on WSJ.com to create a more regionally relevant experience for readers”. It points to the likelihood of either a bolstered European WSJ.com or country-specific editions within Europe. Patrick J. Purcell will replace Langhoff at Ottaway, also taking the executive chairman role there.

Update: The changes were prompted by the impending retirement of Bill Casey, VP-International. Also, Christine Brendle, managing director for CMG in Asia,  will be publisher of The Wall Street Journal Asia. Langhoff and Brendle will report to Todd Larsen, COO for Dow Jones Consumer Media Group. Hinton and Larsen explained the moves to staff in an internal memo, which is after the jump.

A note from Les Hinton and Todd Larsen
Langhoff to Lead CMG in Europe; Purcell to Run Ottaway
December 2, 2008

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce two key appointments in Europe and at Ottaway after the departure of two longtime and valued Dow Jones executives.

With Bill Casey announcing his retirement and Mike Bergmeijer due to leave the company later this month to pursue other opportunities, we have decided to promote Andrew Langhoff to a leading role in the expansion of our international consumer business. Now the CEO of our Ottaway group, Andrew will bring his extensive publishing, Internet and business development expertise to CMG’s operations in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

Andrew will be publisher of The Wall Street Journal Europe and a managing director for CMG. He will be responsible for all aspects of Dow Jones’ consumer business, including The Wall Street Journal’s print and online operations, in EMEA. He will spearhead the continued expansion of our brands with an emphasis on growing our global digital presence. He will also take on responsibility for The Wall Street Journal Americas.

Andrew knows the print and digital sides of the business. He joined Ottaway as general counsel in January 2003 and was named vice president for Internet development in 2004. He was promoted to chief executive earlier this year. He was also vice president of business development for Virage Inc. and held a similar position with the Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) Company, with responsibility for launching Internet sites such as ABCNews.com and ESPN.com.

Andrew will start his new role in London beginning Jan. 5. He will report to Todd as will Christine Brendle, managing director for CMG in Asia. Christine will also become publisher of The Wall Street Journal Asia.

To manage our successful Ottaway franchise after Andrew’s move to London, we have the opportunity to tap a veteran of the newspaper business in two vital Ottaway markets.

Effective immediately, Pat Purcell joins Dow Jones as executive chairman of Ottaway. Pat is now the publisher of the Boston Herald and previously was the publisher of the New York Post. A longtime News Corp. executive, his experience with newspapers in New England and the Northeast will be a major asset in formulating and executing the next stage of Ottaway’s development.

Pat brings to Ottaway a long list of accomplishment in newspapers and at News Corp. Before leaving News to publish the Boston Herald, he was chief executive officer of News America Publishing, president of News America/Newspapers and associate publisher of the Village Voice.

Pat will report to Les on Ottaway matters. He will continue to run the Boston Herald, which he acquired from News Corp in 1994.

We want to thank Bill and Mike for all they have done for Dow Jones.

In nearly 28 years here, as a journalist and as senior executive, Bill helped shape the international face of Dow Jones as managing editor for the Journal Europe, as a guiding force for the Journal Americas and as director of development for Dow Jones International. In the U.S., he ran the Journal’s circulation department for five years.

Mike has also been essential to the growth of Dow Jones outside the U.S. over his 25-year career here. He led the expansion of Dow Jones Newswires in Asia-Pacific as the group’s senior editor and later added responsibility for Newswires in EMEA. Most recently, he was managing director for CMG in EMEA where he is responsible for all the group’s business operations.

Please join us in thanking Bill and Mike for their contributions to Dow Jones and in wishing them the best in their future endeavors.

And join us as well in welcoming Pat to Dow Jones and Andrew to London.

Best,
Les
Todd

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