Josh Tyrangiel is stepping down as the editor of Businessweek, the flagship business magazine of Bloomberg.
He will be replaced by Ellen Pollock, who is currently deputy editor of the magazine. She will be the first woman to lead the magazine since 1929. Pollock is a former Wall Street Journal editor who joined Business Week in 2007.
Congrats to Ellen Pollock, the first female editor of @BW in its 85 year history. http://t.co/8HOoVOimQL— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) October 1, 2015
Tyrangiel struck a gracious tone in an email to Bloomberg staff announcing his exit.
"I’ve spent six years working with some of the smartest and most creative people in journalism, and it’s time for me to take my chips off the table, reflect on my criminal good luck, and think about what comes next. I leave brimming with memories and gratitude," he wrote.
Tyrangiel was hired six years ago away from Time magazine in a move that immediately turned heads and brought a fresh direction to Businessweek.
Bloomberg founder and CEO Michael Bloomberg said in a statement released to the press: “Hiring Josh as the editor of Businessweek was a great decision for Bloomberg. In his six years here, he has had a profound impact. I’m sad to see him go, but our media properties are in a great place and I’m grateful for his contributions."
Under Tyrangiel, Businessweek grew edgier and more consumer friendly while still maintaining its position as one of the thought leaders in business media.
Tyrangiel also appeared to be moving up the ladder at Bloomberg at high speed. In August 2014, he was promoted to a position in which he oversaw all Bloomberg content on its consumer media platforms including TV, radio, digital and live events -- basically everything not on the Bloomberg Terminal. The position put him effectively as the number two under Justin Smith, Bloomberg Media Group's chief executive.
That role reportedly changed when Bloomberg hired John Micklethwait, then editor-in-chief of The Economist, to run Bloomberg News. Micklethwait reportedly shifted Tyrangiel's responsibilities in March, moving him to a committee that oversee's Bloomberg's content, according to a report from Politico.
Tyrangiel's exit makes him the second high-profile Bloomberg employee to leave in recent months. Josh Topolsky, who left The Verge to run Bloomberg's digital efforts, stepped down in July.
The move immediately sparked speculation that more moves could be in store near the top of Bloomberg's ranks.
First, @joshuatopolsky. Second, @Tyrangiel. With @MikeBloomberg on this warpath, how long can @Justin_B_Smith last?— Felix Salmon (@felixsalmon) October 1, 2015