Washington Post has confirmed that executive editor Sally Buzbee resigned from her post on Sunday in a surprise decision that will change the publication's editorial landscape.

Buzbee's departure was reported to employees in an internal email from CEO William Lewis who called the decision an “unexpected shake-up at the top” and noted that former Wall Street Journal editor Matt Murray will take over Buzbee's position on an interim basis.

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“We are troubled by the sudden departure of our executive editor Sally Buzbee and the suggestion by our publisher and CEO Will Lewis that the financial issues plaguing our company stem from our work as journalists rather than mismanagement by our leadership,” Washington said. Post Guild said USA Today in a statement. “We are also concerned about the lack of diversity at the highest levels of the organisation, particularly as the Post seeks to reach new audiences while continuing to cover the most pressing national and global issues.”

Murray will step down after the 2024 US presidential election in November and will be replaced by Robert Winnett, who will serve as editor-in-chief. Winnett was before deputy editor of the Telegraph Media Group.

“I am deeply honored to join such a storied news institution with its long, rich history of memorable and impactful journalism, and I want to thank Sally for her outstanding leadership,” Murray told the Washington Post. “I'm excited by Will and Jeff's vision for The Post's next era of growth and reinvention, and I can't wait to get started.”

The Post will also change its organizational structure by adding a third newsroom focused on service journalism and social media that will exist separately from the publication's core news coverage.

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“The goal is to give millions of Americans — who feel traditional news isn't for them, but still want to be informed — compelling, exciting and accurate news where they are and in the style they want,” Post said.

The publication will also continue to use AI and video storytelling to reach a wider range of readers in the changing industry landscape.

The Washington Post is owned by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos, who bought issue in 2013 for about $250 million in cash.