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September 12, 2018

Buzzfeed News appoints Heidi Blake as global investigations editor after three years leading UK team

By Charlotte Tobitt

Buzzfeed UK investigations editor Heidi Blake has been appointed global investigations editor for the news website.

She will take over from Mark Schoofs, who established and led the Buzzfeed News investigations unit across three continents for the past five years and is now leaving to teach at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in the US.

Blake (pictured, centre) has led the Buzzfeed UK investigations team since 2015, during which time she has “played a big part in Buzzfeed’s success”, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Investigations published under Blake include From Russia With Blood, which uncovered mysterious deaths allegedly linked to Russia in the UK and saw the team named Pulitzer Prize finalists earlier this year.

Blake also led the Tennis Racket series, an investigation into match-fixing in upper levels of the sport.

Blake told Press Gazette in April that Buzzfeed is investing “really heavily” in investigative journalism, cutting edge foreign journalism and agenda-setting news journalism, in the UK and abroad, adding: “It is a major force in global news.”

She added: “We’re very assured of Buzzfeed’s commitment to the UK team and to investigative journalism and just really excited to have seen the team smashing out a string of incredible scoops.”

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Current deputy UK investigations editor Alex Campbell (pictured, far right) will take over from Blake.

A spokesperson said he would be “leading the team in the UK office as it plays an increased role in major global projects”.

Picture: Buzzfeed

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