Chris Blackhurst

Chris Blackhurst (born 24 December 1959) is an English journalist who is a former editor of The Independent. Since 2013 he has been Group Content Director of the four titles overseen by Evgeny Lebedev.
After studying law Blackhurst worked for a legal magazine and soon joined The Sunday Times. In 1990 he became City Editor of the Sunday Express and then The Independent. He became Deputy Editor of The Independent and then, in 1998, of the Daily Express. From 2002, Blackhurst edited the City Pages of the Evening Standard, until he was appointed Editor of The Independent in 2011.

Born in Barrow-in-Furness, Blackhurst's father is a former teacher and Conservative borough councillor. His mother is an ex-special needs teacher. Blackhurst was educated at Barrow Grammar School for Boys in Barrow-in-Furness, after which he went on to study law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He has said that his school instilled self-confidence in him and has argued for the restoration of grammar schools.

Blackhurst after graduation joined the staff of a legal magazine, but soon moved to Fleet Street, where he joined The Sunday Times, working on the Business section, then Insight investigations team. In 1990 he became City Editor of the Sunday Express, moving to The Independent on Sunday in 1992 as their Senior Business Writer, and then to The Independent in 1993 as Westminster Correspondent. He became Deputy Editor of The Independent on Sunday and The Independent then followed editor Rosie Boycott to the Daily Express in 1998, as Deputy Editor. From 2002, Blackhurst edited the City Pages of the Evening Standard, until he was appointed Editor of The Independent in 2011.

He became Group Content Director of the four titles overseen by Evgeny Lebedev in June 2013.