Bloomberg News Founding Editor Stepping Down His replacement will come from a competing business publication.

Matthew Winkler, founding editor in chief of Bloomberg News, is stepping down from his role leading the news service and will be succeeded by The Economist magazine editor in chief John Micklethwait, Bloomberg said on Tuesday.

Micklethwait takes over in early 2015, Bloomberg said.

Winkler will assume the title of editor in chief emeritus and will work directly with Bloomberg LP founder Michael Bloomberg, who is returning to full-time leadership of the financial data and news company next year, the company said.

Bloomberg had stepped away from overseeing the company he founded while he served three terms as mayor of New York City, leaving that post at the end of 2013.

Winkler joined Bloomberg in 1990, overseeing its expansion from a startup news wire to global media organization. With 2,400 reporters and editors in more than 150 bureaus worldwide, Bloomberg competes with Thomson Reuters Corp and News Corp's Dow Jones Newswires in providing financial news and information.

Winkler "has accomplished more then either of us thought possible back then," Michael Bloomberg said in a statement.

Micklethwait has been with The Economist, which is half owned by Pearson, since 1987.

"There is no one more qualified to carry on Matt's legacy than John Micklethwait," Bloomberg said.

(Reporting By Dan Burns; Editing by Alden Bentley and Christian Plumb)