In 2000, he became editorial director of the online financial analysis service Quest, owned by the financial firm Collins Stewart. At the same time, he became a contributing editor of "The Spectator" and a weekly columnist for "The Daily Telegraph". In 2001, he switched allegiance from the "Telegraph" to the "Sunday Times", where he wrote a weekly business profile, Peston's People, and left "The Spectator" for the "New Statesman," where he wrote a weekly column. In 2002, he joined "The Sunday Telegraph" as City editor and assistant editor. He became associate editor in 2005.