Who is Jeff D’Onofrio? What we know about The Washington Post's new CEO

The Washington Post has appointed Jeff D’Onofrio as its acting publisher and chief executive officer, effective immediately.

Updated on: Feb 08, 2026 11:17 AM IST

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The Washington Post has appointed Jeff D’Onofrio as its acting publisher and chief executive officer, effective immediately. This follows the departure of chief executive Will Lewis. The newspaper confirmed the leadership change in a statement posted on X on February 8.

D’Onofrio, who joined the Washington Post as chief financial officer in June last year. (Jeff D'Onofrio/ LinkedIn )

Lewis stepped down days after the Post announced it would cut about one-third of its workforce, significantly reducing its sports and international coverage. The layoffs prompted protests outside the Post’s Washington, DC headquarters and drew criticism from journalists and former editors.

According to the BBC, Lewis told staff it was “the right time” to leave, saying “difficult decisions” had been taken to protect the newspaper’s future.

D’Onofrio, who joined the Washington Post as chief financial officer in June last year, assumes the role now.

Who is Jeff D’Onofrio?

According to his LinkedIn profile, D’Onofrio is a digital media executive with experience serving as chief executive, chief financial, and chief operating officer. His career spans live streaming, social media, news, advertising, and e-commerce.

Also Read: Laid-off Washington Post journalist shuts down troll who asked her to ‘Go back to India’

He has held senior roles at Tumblr, Google, Yahoo, Major League Baseball, and Ernst & Young. His listed areas of expertise include executive management, strategic planning, business development, and operational leadership.

D’Onofrio served as chief executive of Tumblr from 2017 to 2022, after a short tenure as general manager of Yahoo News while Yahoo was owned by Verizon. According to The Verge, his leadership at Tumblr included a decision to ban adult content in an effort to reposition the platform.

Also Read: Pulitzer-winning journalist among 300 laid off by Washington Post: ‘Proud of my work’

The Verge reported that the move led to a significant decline in user traffic. Tumblr was later sold in 2019 to Automattic, the owner of WordPress, for a fraction of the $1.1 billion paid for the platform in 2013.

D’Onofrio joined the Washington Post as chief financial officer in 2025. According to The Verge, his tenure as CFO coincided with broader cost-cutting measures under owner Jeff Bezos.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prakriti Deb
Prakriti Deb is a journalist at Hindustan Times Digital, where she is part of the US Desk. She works on stories related to American politics, crime, sports, entertainment and weather. She particularly enjoys covering political developments that have global ripples. Through her work, she aims to break down complex events in a way that feels simple and understandable. Before joining the Hindustan Times, she worked with The Indian Express Digital, where she covered world affairs. She holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication with a specialisation in Journalism, along with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Outside the newsroom, Prakriti enjoys travelling and stepping out of her comfort zone. She finds her sense of being through storytelling in all its forms, including conversations, painting, theatre, dance and photography. She appreciates discussions that challenge her perspective and help her see the world a little differently.Read More

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