The Business of Magazines

[KoV]

After 2020, I'd say he should be the EIC of Highlights for Children magazine.

 

[THD96]

I want to see what Edward vision for Vogue Us will be, and it's already headlines magnet if he will become EIC of Vogue Us.

 

[axiomatic]

Condé Nast Promotes Anna Wintour to Chief Content Officer

Kathryn Hopkins

Despite a tough year for Anna Wintour that included rife rumors that she would exit Condé Nast in the summer, she has been promoted to chief content officer, the publisher said Tuesday.

Wintour, one of the highest-paid executives at the company, will also serve as global editorial director of Vogue, while continuing to oversee Vogue U.S., as the publisher looks to streamline its international editions after merging U.S. and international operations two years ago and save costs amid the global pandemic that has hit the media industry hard. In a bid to offset a plunge in advertising revenues, Condé Nast laid off staffers, furloughed another 100 and also cut pay, which has since been restored.

“Anna’s appointment represents a pivotal moment for Condé Nast as her ability to stay ahead in connecting with new audiences, while cultivating and mentoring some of today’s brightest talent in the industry, has made her one of media’s most distinguished executives,” said Roger Lynch, chief executive officer of Condé Nast, to whom Wintour will continue to report.

This is quite the turnaround as just six months ago her future at the company was in doubt amid allegations that she had created a negative environment for staffers of color. In a memo to Vogue staffers at the time, she said, “I want to say plainly that I know Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators. We have made mistakes, too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes.”

Her longtime friend and coworker André Leon Talley also released a memoir earlier this year, detailing the breakdown of their decades-long friendship. “From a humanitarian perspective, she left me with psychological scars,” Talley told WWD at the end of April. “I was often left blowing in the wind without any explanation, which I think perhaps she should have given me.”

Also moving up the career ladder at Condé Nast is Edward Enninful, the widely celebrated top editor at British Vogue who is said to be an eventual successor to Wintour. He has been promoted to European editorial director of Vogue for the markets owned and operated by Condé Nast, which include the U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Spain.

Both moves also explain why there has been a mass exodus of European executives and editors over the past few weeks, including Vogue Germany editor Christiane Arp, Vogue Spain editor Eugenia de la Torriente, Condé Nast Italia’s ceo Fedele Usai and Condé Nast Italia’s editorial director Luca Dini.

Elsewhere, Simone Marchetti has been promoted to European editorial director of Vanity Fair, inclusive of the editions published in France, Italy and Spain. Vanity Fair’s U.S. and U.K. editions will continue to be overseen by editor in chief Radhika Jones.

Condé Nast has also appointed global editorial directors of AD, Condé Nast Traveler and GQ, with the remaining global brands to follow in early 2021 to “enable the brands to create the best version of each global story or piece of content and distribute it in customized ways for each local edition.”

Amy Astley has been named global editorial director of AD, Divia Thani the global editorial director of Condé Nast Traveler and Will Welch will be the global editorial director of GQ. The deputy editorial directors for AD, Condé Nast Traveler and GQ will be Oliver Jahn, Jesse Ashlock and Adam Baidawi, respectively.

“Edward, Simone, and our new global editorial directors, Amy, Divia and Will, have proven throughout their tenures at the company that they are our best storytellers, capturing the cultural zeitgeist and growing their audiences on all platforms. In their success they have helped shape the world’s most influential brands and reimagined them for our new media ecosystem, and I’m thrilled to see their talents helping to lead our next chapter,” Lynch continued.

Wintour added: “The relationships we have with our audiences today are ongoing exchanges of ideas and opinions, and Edward, Amy, Divia, Will and Simone are masterful in their approaches to creating content that inspires, challenges and delights. As we look to the future of Condé Nast, we will use the unmatched combination of our global reach and local knowledge and identity of our titles to tell the most important, inclusive and inspiring stories of our time.”

As first reported by WWD earlier this month, Natalia Gamero del Castillo will step into the newly created position of managing director of its European business. She will take over some of the responsibilities of chief operating officer Wolfgang Blau, who departed in September after five years to start a fellowship from the Reuters Institute for the study of journalism at Oxford University.

 

[Lola701]

^^
LOL! Everytime there are tensions or controversies that leds to rumors about her exit, she becomes even more powerful. She is Vogue and CN biggest asset more than ever...

She seriously needs to do a masterclass of to release her memoirs and say how to manage a career in a corporate world...Because at this stage, it forces the admiration.

I cannot do anything but applause at this point.

 

[KoV]

I want to see what Edward vision for Vogue Us will be, and it's already headlines magnet if he will become EIC of Vogue Us.

His vision? Copy Anna, probably.

 

[MON]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but in my opinion, the next US Vogue EIC will be a black/poc American woman, the first to lead the role after 120++ years of the magazine's existence. America is at the dawn of a women's revolution (rightfully so). In a period where "first woman to _____" is at its peak, there's no way the post will be given to a man.

Look no further, the media and the left are eating up every "first woman to" appointees of Biden and how Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice President.

PLUS the pro-American sentiment lingering since elections.

 

[A.D.C.]

Well Anna certainly has less pages to fill in her magazine so she probably has the extra time on her hands. Doesn't take long to edit a 20 page pamphlet.

 

[vogue28]

I am officially at that point where I cannot keep up with all these hirings, firings, promotions and ridiculous titles floating around with Condé Nast. My advice would be to stop these constant reshuffles, and simply instruct editors worldwide to focus on keeping readers (of little they have left) engaged with stimulating content. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[MON]

I am officially at that point where I cannot keep up with all these hirings, firings, promotions and ridiculous titles floating around with Condé Nast. My advice would be to stop these constant reshuffles, and simply instruct these editors to focus on keeping their readers engaged with stimulating content. Nothing more, nothing less.

True. Nothing good will ever come out of these reshufflings when the new one is just as insipid (or worse) than their predecessor. Reshuffling =/= taste.

 

[Lola701]

I am officially at that point where I cannot keep up with all these hirings, firings, promotions and ridiculous titles floating around with Condé Nast. My advice would be to stop these constant reshuffles, and simply instruct editors worldwide to focus on keeping readers (of little they have left) engaged with stimulating content. Nothing more, nothing less.

I hope Emmanuelle does not understand it as « More jeans and Rianne »!

 

[Benn98]

I am officially at that point where I cannot keep up with all these hirings, firings, promotions and ridiculous titles floating around with Condé Nast. My advice would be to stop these constant reshuffles, and simply instruct editors worldwide to focus on keeping readers (of little they’re left with) engaged with stimulating content. Nothing more, nothing less.

Especially when it comes to Will Welch! His magazine is the thinnest of all the international GQs each and every month with the least amount of advertising (no jokes!) yet somehow he should tell them how to do their job? How absurd.

 

[KoV]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but in my opinion, the next US Vogue EIC will be a black/poc American woman, the first to lead the role after 120++ years of the magazine's existence. America is at the dawn of a women's revolution (rightfully so). In a period where "first woman to _____" is at its peak, there's no way the post will be given to a man.

Look no further, the media and the left are eating up every "first woman to" appointees of Biden and how Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice President.

PLUS the pro-American sentiment lingering since elections.

But if that's the case, they'd be grooming someone for the position, within Conde Nast, I'd think. Who could it be? An American woman of Color within the CN family? Radhika Jones? I don't think so. Her background is more literary and less commercial, does she care about fashion? The two obvious candidates, in my opinion, are Amy and Edward. Anna is Amy's mentor, they remain on good terms after a decade together at Vogue, then Anna gave her Teen Vogue to found, which she did a great job, and then Anna saved her from that sinking ship and gave her AD, which Amy kinda saved, made more relevant, and turned into a digital content powerhouse in just a couple years. She's American and a woman. A safe choice, but also a loyal lifer at Conde Nast (3 decades) with all the relevant experience and success. Edward is the other obvious choice. Obvious because, even though he is British and a Man, he is clearly after the job and after it bad. That's why British Vogue increasingly is morphing into American Vogue 2.0. But has he found much success in the digital realm, which is clearly where American CN titles are increasingly focused? I don't think so. And I wonder if Anna will want to give it to him. Hasn't he been subtly petty towards her? I think Anna values the head-down result-driven work ethic of Amy, who is still glamorous and media-trained enough to do TV appearances from time to time, but doesn't court the media attention the way Edward does. And I do think Anna will choose her own replacement. Her power and influence can be understated again and again by those online praying on her downfall, but they're very real.

 

[Benn98]

Can't be Radhika. She's got no sense of fashion, she'll run it like Farneti is running VI.
Plus she once sold a September cover to Vuitton. A Vanity Fair cover? Yikes.

 

[MON]

But if that's the case, they'd be grooming someone for the position, within Conde Nast, I'd think. Who could it be?

That is on the premise that they'll pick someone they're grooming for the position. Remember, Radhika was poached from The New York Times. Stefano Tonchi was poached from T. Edward was never groomed for UK Vogue. Heck, Samira Nasr was poached from Vanity Fair. My point is, if CN wants a narrative they for sure have the means to do it.

Though I agree, Anna will have an say in her replacement.

 

[vogue28]

I hope Emmanuelle does not understand it as « More jeans and Rianne »!

Emmanuelle Alt marches to the beat of her own drum, and at this rate, I couldn’t have more admiration for her. She’s the one editor throughout 2020 who I feel has delivered us nothing but consistency - regardless of all the repetition. Despite the issues thinning in volume, you’d believe looking through the pages of Vogue Paris that the global pandemic hadn’t even happened. Massive, massive respect for Alt these days!

Immediately upon learning the news of Christiane Arp and Eugenia de la Torriente, I genuinely paused for thought and shuddered at the what life would be like without Alt at Vogue Paris. Long remain Alt, if you ask me.

 

[MON]

Long remain Alt, if you ask me.

Fun fact, she's on her way to surpass Carine Roitfeld's tenure. If Alt remains at the helm by February 1, 2021, she's tied with Carine.

 

[KoV]

That is on the premise that they'll pick someone they're grooming for the position. Remember, Radhika was poached from The New York Times. Stefano Tonchi was poached from T. Edward was never groomed for UK Vogue. Heck, Samira Nasr was poached from Vanity Fair. My point is, if CN wants a narrative they for sure have the means to do it.

Though I agree, Anna will have an say in her replacement.

Fair point about Radhika, but she still had an impressive resume (managing editor at Time magazine and The Paris Review in addition to The NYT job). Who are the Black American Women with the relevant experience to be EIC of American Vogue? There's no way they haven't thought about this, that they don't have a plan in place. Vogue is the jewel in CN's cap. They could poach Samira back from HB after a couple of years. Who else? Elaine Welteroth? I think Amy or Edward.

 

[Xone]

So basically German and Spain Vogue editors were fired in order to Enninful be in charge. That makes Him Farneti’s boss?

and Alt is gonna be carefree having Edward as her boss?...not sure about that

so Vogue Mexico and Brasil editors are safe for now....

 

[nyc_art_style]

Edward will oversee European Vogues. So he won’t have a say in Vogue US. Although I think it’s wild that Emmanuelle will now have to report to Edward.

It’s been obvious for over a decade that Anna is prepping Amy Astley to take over Vogue some day. Although I don’t think that day is anytime soon. Anna will stay as EIC until she’s physically unable.

 

[8eight]

What does this mean for eg, Dylan Jones at GQ UK ?