NMG appoints Mutuma Mathiu as Group Editorial Director

Veteran journalist Mutuma Mathiu has been appointed the new Group Editorial Director of the Nation Media Group in a reorganisation that followed the retirement of former Editor-in-Chief Tom Mshindi.

Mr Mathiu will be responsible for all editorial operations across all NMG platforms in Kenya and will now be looked upon to transform the Group’s editorial direction while taking advantage of today’s changing media landscape.

Making the announcement, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Stephen Gitagama, said that Mr Mathiu will also be responsible for oversight of the Group’s editorial policy, which will include enforcement of ethics, integrity and talent development.

“Mr Mathiu is the most suitable hand in taking over the NMG editorial leadership based on his experience and expertise in the media,” Mr Gitagama said.

DIGITAL FIRST

He said Mr Mathiu would be instrumental in taking forward the Group’s transformation to digital and new media. “The board has confidence in him and we wish him well,” Mr Gitagama said.

A respected journalist and columnist, Mr Mathiu takes over at a time when the media industry is going through transformation, with advances in technology fundamentally changing the way the media industry operates.

Commenting on his appointment Thursday, Mr Mathiu said: “As the Nation, we will continue our long tradition of quality journalism, standing for the truth and for the rights of ordinary Kenyans. We will pay particular attention to integrity and we will consistently hold each other to account. The Nation’s plan is to do journalism that is relevant and meaningful in the digital age”.

He thanked Mr Gitagama and the NMG board for their support and confidence in him. He also thanked his colleagues in the newsroom and other departments in the organisation “for their years of support and comradeship.”

In his new role, Mr Mathiu will be charged with the responsibility of content-sharing across markets and developing joint products for both regional and continental markets. In essence, he will be charged with providing a business strategy and journalism so strong that millions of people will be willing to pay for it.

EDUCATION

A Bachelor of Arts graduate from Egerton University, Mr Mathiu holds a postgraduate diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Leeds, UK.

Prior to his new appointment, Mr Mathiu was the Executive Editor in charge of the Daily Nation, which has maintained its number one position as the best-selling newspaper brand in the region.

Having worked at NMG for over two decades, Mr Mathiu is regarded as an insider.

He joined the group in 1997 as a Sub-Editor/Writer for the Sunday Nation. He rose through the ranks and has held various senior positions, including Managing Editor, Daily Nation, Managing Editor, Sunday Nation, Group Managing Editor, Mwananchi Communications Limited (Tanzania), and Revise Editor for the Daily Nation.

Previous holders of the Group Editorial Director position include Mr Joseph Odindo and Mr Wangethi Mwangi.