- The Independent appoints Barney Henderson as UK editor and Jacqui Merrington as executive editor
- These hires mark a strategic move to strengthen digital and editorial innovation
- The publication reports significant growth in UK and US digital audiences in 2025
The Independent has strengthened its senior editorial team with the appointments of Barney Henderson as UK editor and Jacqui Merrington as executive editor, the title announced on Wednesday.
Henderson joins from Newsweek, where he served as director of publishing & subscriptions strategy and ran that title’s breaking-news operation, a role that also involved shaping subscription plans. His earlier posts include assistant editor at The Times and editor of Telegraph.co.uk. He has covered foreign affairs as a correspondent in India and South-East Asia and ran the Telegraph’s US operation from New York during the first Trump election.
Speaking about his move, Henderson said: “I’m really excited to be joining The Independent and working with Geordie and everyone else in the newsroom. It’s an organisation I’ve long admired, known globally for its independent, trusted journalism, its groundbreaking and impactful campaigns, and its ability to adapt successfully to an ever-changing digital news landscape.”
Merrington’s appointment follows a long career in regional and national publishing, most recently at Mail Metro Media where she was director of AI responsible for innovation and adoption. Her experience includes 17 years in regional press, editing titles such as The Cornishman and the West Briton, launching Cornwall Live and serving as audience and content director for Reach’s South West operation before leaving Reach in August 2023.
Merrington said: “I have long admired The Independent’s commitment to high quality, influential digital journalism and its legacy of industry-leading innovation. In these times of unprecedented global political, economic, social and technological uncertainty, trusted journalism is more important than ever, and I am excited about the opportunity to shape the newsroom as it enters its next phase.”
Both will work alongside deputy editor David Marley and US editor Louise Thomas as part of the publication’s senior editorial group, The Independent said. The move comes after Chloe Hubbard’s departure to the Mirror.
Editor‑in‑chief Geordie Greig welcomed the appointments, saying: “Both Barney and Jacqui bring a wealth of digital experience grounded in serious journalism. They will complement our outstanding newsroom and editors and help us continue to innovate and lead the way in marrying journalism with industry-leading digital strategy.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/the-independent-announces-two-senior-hires-26230 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-independent-names-new-editors-after-chloe-hubbard-joins-mirror/ – Press Gazette reports that The Independent has appointed Barney Henderson as its new UK editor. Henderson previously served as director of publishing at Newsweek, where he led the breaking news operation and played a key role in its subscriptions strategy. Before that, he was assistant editor at The Times and editor of Telegraph.co.uk. He succeeds Chloe Hubbard, who joined the Mirror as editor-in-chief. Henderson expressed excitement about joining The Independent, citing its global reputation for independent journalism and impactful campaigns. Jacqui Merrington has also been appointed as executive editor, joining from Mail Metro Media, where she was director of AI leading innovation and adoption. Merrington has a background in regional media, having held roles such as editor of Cornwall Live and audience and content director for the South West at Reach. She began her career at the Press Association in London. Both Henderson and Merrington will join the senior editorial team alongside deputy editor David Marley and US editor Louise Thomas. Editor-in-chief Geordie Greig highlighted their wealth of digital experience and their potential to complement the newsroom’s efforts in marrying journalism with digital strategy.
- https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2026/news/former-regional-editor-lands-top-national-role/ – HoldtheFrontPage reports that Jacqui Merrington has been appointed as executive editor of The Independent. Merrington has a 17-year career in regional media, including roles as editor of The Cornishman and the West Briton, launch editor of Cornwall Live, and audience and content director for the South West at Reach. She left Reach in August 2023 and later joined Mail Metro Media as deputy commercial editorial director, eventually becoming director of AI leading innovation and adoption. Merrington expressed admiration for The Independent’s commitment to high-quality digital journalism and its legacy of innovation, stating her excitement about shaping the newsroom as it enters its next phase.
- https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2023/news/senior-editorial-director-quits-publisher-after-17-years/ – HoldtheFrontPage reports that Jacqui Merrington has left Reach after 17 years of service. During her tenure, she edited several titles, including The Cornishman and the West Briton, and launched Cornwall Live. She also served as audience and content director for the South West. Merrington’s departure was announced in an internal memo from chief digital publisher David Higgerson, who acknowledged her significant contributions to the business and wished her the best for her next chapter.
- https://www.newsweek.com/authors/barney-henderson/ – Newsweek’s author page for Barney Henderson provides a brief biography, noting his role as Content Editor based in London. Henderson joined Newsweek from The Times of London and previously worked for The Daily Telegraph for 13 years and The Hindustan Times in Mumbai, India. He holds an MA in Terrorism, Security & Society from King’s College, London, and a BA in History from Nottingham University. The page also lists articles authored by Henderson, including analyses on international relations and politics.
- https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2026/news/former-regional-editor-lands-top-national-role/ – HoldtheFrontPage reports that Jacqui Merrington has been appointed as executive editor of The Independent. Merrington has a 17-year career in regional media, including roles as editor of The Cornishman and the West Briton, launch editor of Cornwall Live, and audience and content director for the South West at Reach. She left Reach in August 2023 and later joined Mail Metro Media as deputy commercial editorial director, eventually becoming director of AI leading innovation and adoption. Merrington expressed admiration for The Independent’s commitment to high-quality digital journalism and its legacy of innovation, stating her excitement about shaping the newsroom as it enters its next phase.
- https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2023/news/senior-editorial-director-quits-publisher-after-17-years/ – HoldtheFrontPage reports that Jacqui Merrington has left Reach after 17 years of service. During her tenure, she edited several titles, including The Cornishman and the West Briton, and launched Cornwall Live. She also served as audience and content director for the South West. Merrington’s departure was announced in an internal memo from chief digital publisher David Higgerson, who acknowledged her significant contributions to the business and wished her the best for her next chapter.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on 10 February 2026, reporting on appointments announced on the same day. Similar reports from Press Gazette and HoldtheFrontPage were published on 10 February 2026, indicating timely reporting. ([pressgazette.co.uk](https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/media-jobs-uk-news/the-independent-names-new-editors-after-chloe-hubbard-joins-mirror/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
Direct quotes from Barney Henderson and Jacqui Merrington are included. These quotes appear in the Press Gazette article published on 10 February 2026, suggesting they were sourced from the same press release. ([pressgazette.co.uk](https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/media-jobs-uk-news/the-independent-names-new-editors-after-chloe-hubbard-joins-mirror/?utm_source=openai)) The InPublishing article does not provide direct links to the press release, making independent verification of the quotes challenging.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article originates from InPublishing, a trade publication focusing on the publishing industry. While it is a reputable source within its niche, it is not a major news organisation. The Press Gazette and HoldtheFrontPage articles, published on the same day, provide similar information, indicating that the InPublishing article may be summarising or aggregating content from these sources. ([pressgazette.co.uk](https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/media-jobs-uk-news/the-independent-names-new-editors-after-chloe-hubbard-joins-mirror/?utm_source=openai))
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The appointments of Barney Henderson and Jacqui Merrington are plausible and align with industry trends of digital media organisations strengthening their editorial teams. The article mentions that The Independent became the third-largest UK digital news brand in 2025, up from fifth in 2024, and the second-largest ‘British born’ news brand in the US, behind the Guardian. ([inpublishing.co.uk](https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/the-independent-announces-two-senior-hires-26230?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on recent appointments at The Independent, with similar reports from other sources published on the same day. The reliance on The Independent’s press release and the lack of independent verification of the quotes raise concerns about the article’s originality and source independence. The InPublishing article may be summarising or aggregating content from other sources, which affects its reliability. Given these concerns, the overall assessment is OPEN, and further verification is recommended before publishing.
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