Anne Marie Owens

Anne Marie Owens was named editor of the Toronto Star in

April. She started her career at St. Catharines Standard. From there, she joined the founding staff of the National Post in 1998. In

2011, she became deputy editor at Maclean’s before returning to the Post in 2014 as the first woman editor-in-chief of a Canadian national newspaper. She also worked as executive advisor of strategic communications for Mcmaster University in Hamilton.

What are you most excited about in the news industry today?

These are such interesting times for the news industry. We are in the middle of so much change, and it is up to us to navigate our way to success, whatever that looks like for our respective business models.

Of course, that’s daunting, but it’s also an incredible opportunity. It is an invitation to innovate, to embrace new practices and skills, to own the transformation of our newsrooms.

It is such an exciting opportunity to take organizations filled with talented people—

those with traditional skills to bring forward and those with new skills that can benefit from the expertise of others—to move together to a new and uncertain future.

Trusted journalism has never been more necessary, and never more wanted.

Amid so much misinformation, we have an obligation—and an opportunity—to lead the way with fair and honest storytelling that engages ever larger audiences. The digital age means that there are no limits on the reach of our content, only opportunity.

What is your advice for aspiring women journalists?

Be true to yourself. As a journalist, as a colleague, as a leader, the very best that you can do is to be true to what you believe and to be honest in your dealings with others. That is the truest path to a long and meaningful career.

The greatest success comes from understanding and embracing your own leadership style. Authentic leadership and clarity of direction for the people you lead is always the best way forward.