Business Day has a new editor. Lukanyo Mnyanda, currently working for Bloomberg in Edinburgh, takes over from Tim Cohen in May.
“I am honoured to come back to South Africa to lead Business Day at such a crucial stage in the evolution of our democracy,” Mnyanda said in a press release. “I am especially proud to be coming back to this great newspaper, which I first joined as a young graduate more than 20 years ago. I’m looking forward to contributing to the next stage of its development.”
Cohen, who became editor of Business Day in March 2016, will stay with the Tiso Blackstar Group “supporting the company’s push for leading high quality journalism with special investigative and long form reports, and will continue to write for Business Day and Financial Mail”.
Managing director of Tiso Blackstar, Andy Gill, wished Cohen luck “as he works from his Karoo farm and look forward to his incisive writing as he continues his unwavering support for quality, independent journalism. Tim has been superb in all of his roles within the Group and is a key reason our business titles are as strong and well respected as they are today”.
Mnyanda has been with Bloomberg since 2005, holding various positions in Johannesburg, London and Edinburgh. He initially reported on the South African markets and economy before moving to the UK to cover G3 currencies, European Government bonds, the Scottish independence referendum, Sterling markets, the Brexit vote, asset management and MiFID II. Prior to that, Mnyanda held positions as economics editor at Business Day, and the Sunday Times. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhodes University, as well as an MSc in International Development from the University of Bath, UK.
Gill said the Group was delighted to appoint someone of Mnyanda’s stature and expertise. “We are especially happy to be bringing South African talent back home at such an important time for media in the country,” he said.
Cohen has loved “every minute” of being editor. “…I’m excessively proud to have been at the helm and enormously grateful to management and staff, particularly deputy editor Carol Paton, for the opportunity and the honour of working with such magnificent people. Together we have solidified Business Day’s leadership and affirmed its authentic and independent voice during a time of enormous upheaval both within the media industry and South Africa as a whole,” he said. “Sincere thanks to my colleagues and good luck to Luke who I think will make an exceptional editor.”
