Hasta La Ideas

Politico is preparing to expand to Europe with the launch of Politico Europe. The site will use the similar tactic taken by Politico and Capital New York — a free site with subscription-only verticals that focus on one subject, like tech.

Politico Europe is a partnership between Politico and German media company Axel Springer. It will launch April 21.

“We are assembling a roster of some of the most talented reporters and editors on the continent – a mix of respected veterans and ascendant younger journalists – who are ready to help shake up a European media scene, which, in our judgment, is in need of something different,” stated a memo from Politico Europe executive editor Matt Kaminski, Politico editor-in-chief John Harris and Politico Europe managing director Shéhérazade Semsar-de Boisséson.

Below are some of the most notable hires:

• Ryan Heath joins as a reporter, responsible for penning a morning column much like Politico’s Playbook.
• Pierre Briançon will lead coverage in France. He previously served as Europe editor Reuters Breakingviews and Dow Jones Paris bureau chief.
• Jan Cienski, most recently The Economist’s Poland correspondent, will serve as energy edior.
• Tunku Varadarajan will serve as a contributing editor. He is a former editor of Newsweek and editorial features editor at the Wall Street Journal.
• Linda Kinstler, former New Republic managing editor, will also serve as a contributing editor.