The chief business officer of Condé Nast Britain, Vanessa Kingori OBE, is departing the publisher after 15 years to join Google.

Kingori will start work next year as Google’s managing director of tech, media and telecoms (TMT) for the UK, reporting to Debbie Weinstein, the vice president and managing director of Google UK and Ireland.

Google said Kingori, alongside Sophie Neary and Dyana Najdi who have both also been appointed managing directors, “will focus on helping UK-based businesses drive growth through AI-powered technology and advertising solutions”.

Weinstein said of the appointments: “As the UK continues to solidify its standing as a global leader in AI, businesses across the country have an extraordinary opportunity to harness this powerful technology to transform their operations, expand into new markets, and achieve unprecedented growth.”

As well as her role across Condé Nast Britain, Kingori has served as publishing director of British Vogue since 2017 and was publisher of British GQ prior to that.

Google said Kingori has appeared on Powerful Media’s list of the 100 most influential black Britons each year for the past eight, and this year she was voted “the overall most powerful black executive in Britain” in the same poll.

In January Kingori was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the media industry.

Kingori said: “We are living through an inflection point that will undoubtedly continue to evolve every business, career, and our lives more generally. The lure of pivoting my career to apply my love of positive, transformational leadership at this key moment of change at Google feels urgent and is a dream realised.

“Having a seat at the table to drive a focus on deep relationships, learning and partnership to create positive outcomes for all, in the era of AI, is a privilege. It’s an exciting new frontier.”

[Read more: Catherine Belton and Lancet’s Richard Horton among journalist 2023 New Year honours]

The post Condé Nast Britain’s chief business officer joins Google appeared first on Press Gazette.

British Vogue‘s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful is leaving his role to take on a broader remit influencing the international Vogue brand.

Enninful appeared to indicate the editor-in-chief title at British Vogue is being abolished with his departure. The role will allow the outgoing editor to take on commitments outside of the Condé Nast stable.

In a memo to Vogue’s European editorial chiefs, Enninful said that from next year he will take on the new position of editorial advisor of British Vogue and global creative and cultural advisor of Vogue.

He said he “will continue to contribute to the creative and cultural success of the Vogue brand globally while having the freedom to take on broader creative projects.

“To optimise my increased global responsibilities, and to give British Vogue the new focus it will deserve, we saw the opportunity to hire, in concert with our global editorial structure, a head of editorial content for British Vogue. The position will partner very closely with you all and Anna [Wintour], and will initially report to me until we have onboarded them.”

Condé Nast introduced a global content strategy at Vogue, GQ, Conde Nast Traveller, Wired and Architectural Digest in 2021, meaning many of the brands now have one international editorial leader overseeing their various editions.

Enninful became editor-in-chief of British Vogue in 2017, the first man or black person to do so. He additionally became European editorial director at the end of 2020.

Until this move, Enninful’s trajectory had in many ways tracked with that of fellow Brit Wintour, something that was widely noted in fashion and media circles and made Enninful a favourite to be the next editor of Vogue in the US.

But this new role, with its emphasis on Enninful’s ability to pursue “outside interests”, per the Vogue Business article that broke the news, may end the symmetry. Wintour – who has shown no intention of departing the editor’s chair any time soon – took over Vogue in the US immediately after her two years editing British Vogue.

The post Edward Enninful vacates British Vogue editor’s chair to be ‘editorial advisor’ appeared first on Press Gazette.

Slimming World was the only women’s interest magazine to see its print circulation grow in the UK and Ireland in 2022, according to the latest ABC figures.

The magazine is one of the highest-circulation titles in the sector, having grown its UK/ROI print circulation 10% year-on-year to 305,616.

• Full breakdown of print and digital magazine ABCs for 2022
• Magazine ABCs 2022: Digital edition circulation up by 22%
• Magazine ABCs 2022: Private Eye leads UK news mags with best sales since 2017

The highest-circulation title was Hearst’s Good Housekeeping, which reported an average print circulation per issue of 356,603 worldwide and 349,107 in the UK/ROI.

Across the women's interest segments recorded by ABC - women's weeklies, women's general interest, slimming, health and beauty, lifestyle and fashion and home - six titles recorded year-on-year UK/ROI digital circulation growth. Those were:

• House & Garden (up 449% to 4,096)
• World of Interiors (up 358% to 1,305)
• Vogue (up 92% to 3,772)
• Harper's Bazaar (up 10% to 4,424)
• Hello! (up 7% to 20,130)
• Woman & Home (up 6% to 10,981).

New entrant The Highlight - Lookfantastic, a free digital-only magazine owned by online retailer The Hut, reported an average digital distribution of 146,599 in the second half of the year, up 39% compared to January to June.

Hearst UK titles Harper's Bazaar, Elle and Best recorded some of the biggest UK/ROI print declines across the segment, seeing falls respectively of 27% (to 60,983), 29% (to 66,272) and 27% (to 45,113).

Double-digit print falls were common however, seen also at Women's Health (down 20% to 56,997), Closer (down 17% to 73,117) and Bella (down 15% to 105,225). Less dramatic declines were recorded at Vogue (down 4% to 155,068), House & Garden (down 9% to 81,821) and Good Housekeeping (down 8% to 349,107).

Tatler (64,766), Vanity Fair (44,354) and Hello! (116,847) all held steady with no year-on-year print circulation change at all.

Some 17 titles across the sector recorded 100% actively purchased print copies, although two of those (Closer and The People's Friend) did distribute some free copies. Distributing more free copies were Elle (32% actively purchased), Harper's Bazaar (33%), Tatler (40%) and Vanity Fair (45%).

[Read more: US fashion sector proving resilient so far for Future]

The post Women’s interest magazine ABCs 2022: Slimming World only title to see print growth appeared first on Press Gazette.

Several US magazines have doubled their reach on Apple News+ this year, new figures obtained by Press Gazette show.

Weekly showbiz magazine People recorded an average AN+ circulation of 165,000 in the first half of 2021 – up 148% from the second half of 2020 – making it the platform’s biggest title.

According to Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) figures, the top 25 most popular US magazine titles on AN+ had a total average circulation of 1.25m in the first six months of the year.

The average AN+ circulation across the top 25 was 50,000 in the first half of this year – up 86% from 27,000 in the last six months of 2020.

After People, the next biggest AN+ magazine titles were Vanity Fair (with an average circulation of 90,000, up 83%), Popular Mechanics (71,000, up 194%) and National Geographic (71,000, up 78%).

Scientific American recorded the largest increase, albeit from a low base in 2020. Its circulation leapt more than 700% from 4,000 to 32,000.

The other titles that more than doubled their AN+ circulations between the two periods were Men’s Health, In Style, Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Women’s Health, Travel+Leisure and Prevention.

Launched in 2019, AN+ is a paid-for version of Apple’s news app, available in the US, Canada, UK and Australia.

Nearly 200 publications make their content available on AN+ and are paid by Apple according to their readership levels – issue opens and ‘dwell time’ – on the app. 

Apple has not reported any AN+ figures and the popularity of the platform remains something of a mystery.

The AAM’s figures are not enough to discern how many AN+ subscribers Apple has built up. But the top 25 ranking – which excludes newspapers and non-US magazines on the platform – does provide an insight into the scale of the product. It also suggests AN+ is growing fast.

AN+ figures are likely to have been boosted by the launch last October of Apple One, a subscription that bundles together several services. Apple’s ‘premier’ package includes access to Apple Music, TV+, Arcade, iCloud, Fitness+ and News+.

The AAM circulation figures reflect the average number of unique user opens per magazine issue. This means that the numbers do not show total readership because they directly compare weekly magazines, like People, with monthly titles, Vanity Fair, and bi-monthlies, Popular Mechanics.

The post Apple News+ adds 1.25m to US magazine circulations: Full breakdown appeared first on Press Gazette.

Magazine publisher Conde Nast has swung back into the black with a pre-tax profit of £2.7m in 2018 following a loss of £13.5m the year before.

The GQ, Vogue and Vanity Fair publisher put its change in fortunes down to strong digital revenue and traffic growth across its online brands, particularly at British Vogue under Edward Enninful.

Enninful (pictured) replaced Alexandra Shulman as the British fashion bible’s editor in 2017, becoming both the first man and the first person of colour to take on the job in the title’s 100-year history.

In its 2018 accounts, published on Companies House this week, Conde Nast managing director Albert Read said 2018 had seen a “continuation of investment and growth across digital and events”.

In 2017 £5.7m of the company’s losses were attributed to business restructuring, which was kept to £1.5m last year.

Conde Nast reported a turnover of £104.6m in 2018, down 8 per cent from £113.5m in 2017.

It said the closure of Glamour’s monthly print edition accounted for a “large part of the revenue decline”. The women’s fashion magazine now prints twice a year as it focuses on being a “beauty first, mobile first, millennial focused brand” online.

Overall Read said 2018 was a “strong year” for the company “with positive performance across the entire business leading into 2019”.

He said underlying operating profit before tax was £11.4m “which is a significant increase from [the] prior year”.

The publisher said its overall digital traffic had grown by 7.8 per cent in 2018, to 14.8m monthly unique users.

It also said performance for most of its brands’ combined print and digital circulation was consistent, with highlights including a 1.1 per cent print circulation growth at British Vogue under Enninful and 1.2 per cent increase at Tatler under new editor Richard Dennen.

The number of editorial staff at the publisher fell from 227 in 2017 to 180, with overall staff costs falling from £47.2m to £37.5m.

Company directors received £3.6m in remuneration, up from £2.4m in 2017.

Looking ahead, Conde Nast said it remains “well positioned in the premium market” due to a “continued focus on creativity and quality”.

But it noted the impact of Brexit on the retail climate and said consumer purchasing power remains uncertain.

The post Edward Enninful’s British Vogue helps swing Conde Nast back into profit in 2018 appeared first on Press Gazette.

Meghan Markle has guest edited the September issue of British Vogue, widely considered the fashion magazine’s most important edition as fashionistas turn focus to their autumn/winter wardrobes.

The Duchess of Sussex, who married Prince Harry last year, is not on the cover (pictured below) herself, instead pictured are 15 “female changemakers” – inspirational women from activism, the arts and sport.

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are among them.

A 16th picture is of a mirror because “the Duchess believes British Vogue’s readers are part of this moment too” and the mirror is “to include the reader and encourage them to use their own platforms to effect change”.

The issue, which will appear on newsstands later this week, will also feature a “candid” interview with former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Markle is the first person to guest edit the September issue of British Vogue.

She said: “These last seven months have been a rewarding process, curating and collaborating with Edward Enninful, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, to take the year’s most read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today.

“Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light.

“I hope readers feel as inspired as I do, by the ‘Forces for Change’ they’ll find within these pages.”

Enninful added: “To have the country’s most influential beacon of change guest edit British Vogue at this time has been an honour, a pleasure and a wonderful surprise.

“As you will see from her selections throughout this magazine, she is also willing to wade into more complex and nuanced areas, whether they concern female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege.

Enniful said he and Markle had discussed whether she would appear on the cover. “In the end, she felt that it would be in some ways a ‘boastful’ thing to do for this particular project,” he said. “She wanted, instead, to focus on the women she admires.”

The making of the September 2007 edition of US Vogue was the subject of 2009 documentary following the magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

Picture: Peter Lindbergh

The post Meghan Markle guest edits British Vogue’s coveted September issue in first for fashion mag appeared first on Press Gazette.

Conde Nast has named former Pandora Radio boss Roger Lynch as its first global chief executive five months after the company merged its US and international arms.

Lynch will replace sitting Conde Nast International head Jonathan Newhouse, who is set to become chairman of the board.

Former Conde Nast US chief executive Bob Sauerberg will leave the publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair and the New Yorker on the appointment of Lynch.

His departure was first announced when Conde Nast revealed that its US and international operations would merge into one company back in November last year.

The publisher said Lynch, who will also join the company board, will start as global chief executive on 22 April.

In a statement on his appointment, Lynch said: “I have long admired the extraordinary, award-winning content produced by Conde Nast.

“The company is home to some of the most culturally-significant and iconic media brands in the world. As a newly combined global company, we have the opportunity to accelerate the evolution of the consumer experiences and value we deliver to our audiences and partners around the world.”

Conde Nast chairman Jonathan Newhouse added that the board believed Lynch was “the right person to lead Conde Nast during our new phase of global integration, growth and transformation”.

He added: “His strong business acumen, relevant experience, and ability to unite a team around a common purpose to drive results make him a clear choice for our next chief executive.”

Lynch was hired as chief executive of Pandora Radio, an internet radio service, back in September 2017.

Before taking up the role at Pandora, he was founding chief executive of Sling TV – the online TV streaming platform he created in 2012.

He will have to turn around the losses of Conde Nast in his new job.

The UK arm of the publisher reported a pre-tax loss of £13.5m in 2017 despite making a profit of £6.7m before tax a year earlier.

Picture: Reuters/Rick Wilking

The post Conde Nast hires former internet radio boss Roger Lynch as first global chief executive appeared first on Press Gazette.

The global editor-in-chief of UK magazine i-D Holly Shackleton is leaving the style brand after 14 years to join Vogue International.

Shackleton (pictured) will join the fashion magazine’s London editorial hub as editor-in-chief in April, replacing launch editor Justine Bellavita who stepped down last year.

Bellavita returned to her home country of Italy to oversee the digital operations of Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair Italia, Glamour Italia and Lisa.

Vogue International launched in 2017 and is the “heart of Vogue’s collective digital voice”, a spokesperson for owner Conde Nast International said.

The team takes the lead on Vogue global digital stories across nine languages and 16 markets, creating and commissioning features, photography, video and social content.

Shackleton said: “It is an honour to be joining the Vogue International team at such a pivotal moment in fashion publishing.

“I very much look forward to working with Vogue’s award-winning editors to create content that celebrates Vogue’s truly global reach and unrivalled reputation.”

Shackleton became editor-in-chief of bi-monthly i-D magazine in 2014, helping to roll it out to 11 markets internationally, including Europe, the US, Asia and Latin America.

Conde Nast International president Wolfgang Blau said: “Holly has a deep understanding of the global publishing, fashion and luxury industries.

“She has shown, if not created, the model for how to collaborate with journalists and creative talent across so many different cultures, languages and markets, while making i-D the distinctive ‘voice of a generation’.

“It is this rare combination of her strong editorial instincts, her intercultural awareness and experience as well her inspiring style of leadership that makes us all so excited to welcome Holly to Vogue, the world’s largest and most influential network of fashion journalists.”

Picture: Conde Nast International

The post Global editor-in-chief of UK style magazine i-D moves to Vogue International appeared first on Press Gazette.

Vogue and GQ publisher Conde Nast has today launched a new London-based B2B title for the fashion, beauty and luxury industries.

Vogue Business will publish as a newsletter aimed at fashion industry professionals. It will have an editorial focus on the analysis of fashion industry trends, how global politics impacts on the sector and technology that could change how fashion operates.

Former fashionista.com editor-in-chief Lauren Indvik will spearhead Vogue Business following two years at the head of Vogue International news and features teams in London. 

Conde Nast has unveiled Vogue Business shortly after reporting a £13.5m pre-tax loss in the UK for the year ending 31 December 2017 – a fall from a pre-tax profit of £6.7m the year before.

In a statement on the Vogue Business launch, editor-in-chief Indvik said: “We take a new global, visual and data-driven approach to journalism.

“Our journalism is designed for maximum impact and accessibility, making it easy to understand key ideas at a glance, and to enable fashion leaders to make the decisions that will grow and future-proof their businesses and careers.”

Conde Nast International president Wolfgang Blau said: “In a consolidating media landscape, the launch of a new global title is a rare thing.

“No one else in the world employs more fashion journalists in more places than we do.

“Our global network of journalists, digital editors and researchers are immersed in the relevant trends on all inhabited continents, giving the team of Vogue Business access to an unparalleled depth of knowledge, from local design trends to changes in manufacturing, training, technology and distribution.”

Conde Nast said the fashion B2B was “prioritising high engagement with a select audience” in its decision to begin as a newsletter, rather than a website seeking maximum reach.

The Vogue Business team is headquartered in London and being treated as a “wholly separate entity” with an editorial team independent of other Conde Nast brands.

The B2B newsletter will feature contributions from Conde Nast journalists across 29 territories, according to its website.

Picture: Conde Nast

The post Conde Nast launches B2B newsletter Vogue Business aimed at fashion industry professionals appeared first on Press Gazette.

Vogue International, the fashion magazine’s editorial hub based in London, is searching for a new editor-in-chief after launch editor Justine Bellavita announced she is stepping down after a year in charge.

The role was created last year to oversee the hub, which coordinates editorial projects and coverage for Vogue’s 23 separate magazine editions worldwide, including British Vogue.

The team creates and commissions content, facilitates content sharing and works with local teams and network editors in 11 countries to “maximise the influence” of its journalism, according to a spokesperson.

Bellavita, who took up the role in October, was previously editor of Vanity Fair’s website in her home country of Italy and before that was digital editor of Vogue Italia.

She is now returning to Italy to oversee the digital operations of Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair Italia, Glamour Italia and Lisa.

Wolfgang Blau, president of Conde Nast International, tweeted: “A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Justine Bellavita for her pioneering work as the launch editor of Vogue International.

“All the best in your new role at Conde Nast Italy. And yes, we are now looking for a new editor-in-chief.”

Vogue is owned by Conde Nast, who said the launch phase of its Vogue International hub was now complete.

Vogue International is set to expand with the launch of new editions of Vogue, according to a job advert on Linkedin looking for Bellavita’s replacement. The hub currently employs 40 editorial staff.

It said: “To lead this second phase, we are seeking an experienced digital editor-in-chief who will provide Vogue International and as well as the local digital Vogue teams with day-to-day editorial guidance and inspiration as well as with strategic direction.

“We are looking for a strategic, creative leader with a proven track record as a digital chief editor and a strong understanding of the brand’s voice, both internationally and in its many local expressions.”

Picture: Rankin Photography Ltd

The post Vogue International launches hunt for new editor-in-chief for London editorial hub ahead of magazine expansion appeared first on Press Gazette.