Editor Brian McGrory Returning To the Boston Globe

Brian McGrory is returning as editor of The Boston Globe, succeeding Nancy Barnes, who announced she is stepping down from the role after nearly three years and will transition to editor-at-large.

The announcement was made Monday by Boston Globe Media CEO Linda Henry in a staff email.

McGrory, 64, will begin on January 5, 2026, in a permanent capacity—not as an interim editor—while taking an extended leave from his current position as chair of Boston University’s journalism department.

Brian McGrory

Barnes, the Globe’s first female editor, informed staff on December 12 that she would step down at the end of that week, citing a need to “take a break from the daily firestorm of news, consider new challenges and tend to some personal issues.” She will remain with the organization, focusing on editing support and a fundraising initiative for investigative reporting in New England news deserts.

McGrory previously led the Globe’s newsroom from 2012 to early 2023, a decade during which the paper won three Pulitzer Prizes, including for its coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing. 

A 34-year Globe veteran who started as a reporter in 1989, he left to head BU’s journalism program, where he launched a local news initiative partnering students with nonprofit outlets. He has also served in leadership roles at The Baltimore Banner.

Henry praised McGrory’s “passion for the Globe and his love of Boston,” adding that the newsroom would continue producing “world-class” journalism under his leadership. The move comes amid challenges for regional newspapers, including stalled digital subscription growth at the Globe.