Louise Reip, Chief Sub-Editor

Louise has been the chief sub-editor at FT Longitude for five years and upholds FT Longitude’s high editorial standards by ensuring the accuracy, consistency, fluency and client-readiness of all content. She works across the full range of our output – from long-form research reports to shorter opinion pieces. Louise also comes up with the words and flow for many of our scrollable stories, infographics and video scripts.

Louise’s 17 years’ experience includes sub-editing and proofreading government legislation at the Central Office of Information, editing and sub-editing magazines for BNP Paribas and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, and researching and writing sections of Whitaker’s Almanack.

What problem do our clients have to deal with that you help to fix?

I like to think I represent their audience. What will make me scroll down, turn the page, click on a link, share the report? That’s what I try to keep in mind as I sub-edit.

I’m here to ensure that the story works and that the data is working as hard as it can to support that story. And I’m here to keep the language tight, clear and compelling.

“Treat it as a craft, and hone your skills wherever and whenever you can. Get involved in word-smithery in whatever capacity you can…”

Audiences have never had less time to read, so I try to reduce flab, digressions and non sequiturs and keep the reading experience efficient and enjoyable. And I think in the course of several rounds of amends and back and forth between multiple stakeholders it’s easy to lose track of the point you’re trying to make – your story. So I help to sense-check that message in case it’s been lost, garbled or weakened along the way.

Finally, of course, I will also weed out any embarrassing typos and grammatical howlers.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into Editorial?

Treat it as a craft, and hone your skills wherever and whenever you can. Get involved in word-smithery in whatever capacity you can – if you’re at university, for instance, write for the newspaper. And apply for editorial jobs in any sector, not just the obvious ones such as the media. There are editorial jobs in all kinds of places – charities, the public sector, retail, financial services, leisure… the list goes on.

All of this work, however seemingly mundane, will contribute to your skills. Before FT Longitude I worked in editorial roles in book publishing, PR, magazine publishing, the Civil Service and charities. All of it helped me get better at storytelling. So be open-minded and see every opportunity as a chance to improve your ability to tell a story well. It’s a craft – a transferable skill that works across sectors.

What do you like most about working at FT Longitude?

I’ve worked for a huge range of organisations, and FT Longitude is hands down the best at emphasising the importance of a quality product and celebrating good work.

It is genuinely obsessed with quality, and treats it as a key indicator of success. And sub-editors are perfectionists, so for me it’s wonderful to work at a company that values quality so highly and isn’t just churning stuff out.

We also have the loveliest team here. FT Longitude is very good at hiring fun, friendly and supportive people.

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