Sticking Around
Roger Lynch is making sure that the two remaining star editors at Condé Nast stick around.
In a memo on Condé’s “new global leadership structure,” the new chief executive officer put Anna Wintour at the top of the short list of ostensible role changes, making clear that the longtime editor in chief of Vogue and artistic director of Condé is keeping those titles, and getting the new additional title of global content adviser. This new role will include direct oversight of Vogue International, a central hub for digital content across the brand, and she will “advise the executive leadership team on global content opportunities and act as a resource to editors in chief and editorial talent worldwide,” according to the memo. Last year, rumors of Wintour’s exit from Condé became so numerous that previous ceo Bob Sauerberg told WWD almost exactly a year ago that she was staying with the company “indefinitely.” While there was some chatter when Lynch was hired earlier this year that Wintour would not want to stay at Condé to work for a new and younger boss, she seems to be fine with it for now.
As for Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker and the only other remaining vestige of the editor star system promoted by the late S.I. Newhouse, Lynch simply noted that Remnick will continue to report directly to him, making one think there was need publicly to reaffirm his position. Or maybe if Remnick was left off the announcement it would have raised eyebrows.
Otherwise, the announcement seems to be more or less the addition of the word “global” to certain titles and the lateral expansion of others. Wolfgang Blau, previously president of Condé Nast International, is now president of international and chief operating officer, a role that will continue his oversight of Condé’s non-U.S. markets and add “selected” global functions to his purview, like data and licensing and “business transformation.”
Pamela Drucker Mann, previously chief revenue and marketing officer, is now global chief revenue officer and president of U.S. revenue. Although said to have been in the running for the ceo role at one point after Sauerberg’s abrupt exit, she will now oversee “a new global revenue organization that brings together the company’s U.S. and international ad sales, creative and agency, B2B marketing and client service capabilities,” according to the memo. Jamie Jouning, previously chief revenue officer for international, is now chief client officer and will report to Drucker Mann. He previously reported to Blau.
Oren Katzeff, since the end of last year president of video division Condé Nast Entertainment, was also included in the memo despite his title not changing. But Lynch did stress that CNE “will now be the core of our global network of video teams, supporting the growth of our video businesses in all markets.” He added that all of Condé’s video content combined gets more than 1 billion views a month.
With the change in Drucker Mann’s title, Lynch said Condé is looking to fill the role of chief marketing officer, who will lead “a new consumer marketing organization” focused on consumer revenue like subscriptions and memberships, along with expanded consumer research and data. Condé, which is simply dropping the previously used Condé Nast International in its global reorganization as one operation (something Lynch was hired to complete), is also looking to fill new corporate functions under “people, finance and communications.” Specific titles for positions were not given, but Condé said the search for new leaders is starting immediately. — KALI HAYS