Andy Serwer
Alan Murray will replace Andy Serwer (pictured) as top editor of Fortune magazine. Reuters

Alan Murray is departing from his role as president of the Pew Research Center to become the new editor of Fortune magazine.

Murray will take up his new position on Aug. 25, Fortune’s parent company Time Inc. said in a statement on Tuesday. He will replace Andy Serwer, who is leaving Fortune after 29 years, the last eight of which were spent as the magazine’s editor, USA Today reports.

"Alan's diverse background uniquely positions him to lead Fortune," Todd Larsen, Time Inc.’s executive vice president, said in the statement. "He is a digital champion and media visionary who can bridge every aspect of our business, moving effortlessly from the newsroom to the boardroom to television to conference stage."

Murray’s digital chops were of particular interest to Fortune, which recently launched its first website, the New York Times notes. The magazine also publishes 18 times a year in print.

When asked about the attractions of his new job, Murray cited Fortune’s standing among business owners. “Fortune means a lot to people who run sizable businesses, and has a great resonance overseas where businesses are popping up by the thousands every day,” he told the New York Times.

Murray worked at Pew since November 2012, where he succeeded in doubling the think tank’s online traffic, USA Today said. Previously, he served as a deputy managing editor and online executive editor at the Wall Street Journal. In addition, he acted as Washington bureau chief at both the Journal and CNBC.

He will be the 17th editor at Fortune since the magazine was founded in 1930. Time Inc. has not disclosed any specific cause for Serwer’s departure.

“The main feeling was that editors can only do these jobs for so long,” Norman Pearlstine, Time Inc.’s chief content officer, told the New York Times, adding that Serwer had spearheaded “a world-class magazine with great journalism, and the conference business has been extraordinary.”