Phil Nesbitt

Phil Nesbitt is an independent design consultant who works on behalf of the American Press Institute, where he was an associate director from 1997-2000. He is a long time associate of API and has been a discussion leader since 1980. Nesbitt, a former president of the Society for News Design, has spent more than 25 years in the newspaper business. Prior to joining the API staff, he worked as a design consultant for seven years in Australia.

His expertise includes newspaper design, electronic imaging, editorial management and structure, systems management, electronic editing composition and pagination, desktop publishing, digital technology and all facets of digital production. Before becoming a consultant in 1988, Nesbitt was assistant managing editor at The Record in Hackensack, New Jersey. He also spent two years in Singapore as managing editor/news systems and graphics at the Singapore Monitor and corporate consultant to Singapore News and Publications Ltd. Before that he was assistant managing editor/photography and graphics at the Chicago Sun-Times.

From 1976 to 1981, he served as the chief of the U.S. Army's newspaper program with editorial, technology and design responsibility for 287 newspapers worldwide. He has redesigned more than 30 newspapers on four continents. In 2000, Nesbitt directed the redesign of El Universal, Mexico's oldest and largest newspaper.