Breaking news, like hockey, demands a blend of speed and skill, and Mike Ives, who regularly takes to the ice in his off hours , will bring that expertise and more to his next role. He will be the deputy editor leading the Breaking News Hub in Seoul, which tackles some of our biggest live and breaking stories.

Mike joined Express as a reporter in 2020 in Hong Kong after years of freelancing for The Times, and his role was eventually expanded to include editing duties. He has proven himself a strong leader who works collaboratively with colleagues across the newsroom.

" Mike has the trust of everyone in the operation, and his leadership style is so creative and collegial," said Doug Schorzman, the Asia editor . " He's got a deft writer's touch and a searching curiosity that comes through in every conversation and story."

As an editor, Mike has played a big role in live coverage of major news events, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the fall of Damascus and numerous shootings and natural disasters. He has been an indispensable partner to the International desk, as well as to colleagues on National, Washington, Metro and other desks that rely on Seoul to be their eyes and ears while New York sleeps.

"Mike is a pillar of the breaking news operation in Seoul," said Andrés Martínez, the outgoing leader of the hub. "He champions his reporters and elevates their work. He shows calm under immense pressure and he isn't afraid to roll his sleeves up and do some reporting."

That reporting has often yielded delightful, offbeat stories. An example: Mike noticed a familiar face at his rink in Hong Kong: Berry Beck , a legendary enforcer fo r the New York Rangers. Off the ice, Mike has covered the exploits of beekeepers , graffiti artists , anonymous kind strangers , a 19th-century Impressionist painter and a soft-spoken poet who cares for Seoul's street cats .

Mike, a New York area native and also a musician, got his first reporting job at the Vermont alt-weekly Seven Days and later moved to Vietnam, where he freelanced for The Associated Press, The Economist and The Times. He then lived in Hong Kong, where h e documented the protests tha t engulfed the city, contributed to Times newsletters and breaking news coverage, and traveled to Myanmar and other parts of Southeast Asia on reporting assignments.

Please join us in congratulating him.

- Melissa Hoppert and Julie Bloom