Condé Nast Puts Anna Wintour in Charge of Magazines Worldwide

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/business/media/conde-nast-anna-wintour.html

Version 0 of 1.

Going into this week, Anna Wintour was already one of the most powerful people in the magazine world. She has been the editor in chief of the United States edition of Vogue since 1988, the artistic director of Vogue’s parent, Condé Nast, since 2013, and the company’s global content adviser since 2019.

On Tuesday, as part of a larger revamping, Condé Nast announced that Ms. Wintour will have a pair of new titles — worldwide chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue — giving her final say over publications in more than 30 markets around the world.

In addition to the elevation of its editorial leader, Condé Nast announced that Amy Astley, a confidante of Ms. Wintour, will be the global editorial director of AD, the title formerly known as Architectural Digest; Will Welch will become the global editorial director of GQ; and Divia Thani will be given the same role at Condé Nast Traveler.

Edward Enninful, the most powerful Black editor at Condé Nast, was made the head of Vogue’s editions in Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain. Simone Marchetti will become the European editorial director of Vanity Fair, putting him in charge of its editions in France, Italy and Spain. The American and British versions of Vanity Fair will remain under the control of Radhika Jones.

Of the six newly created top leadership roles within the editorial division, two went to people of color. Condé Nast said that worldwide editorial directors would be named for its other publications early next year.

Until now, the international editions of many Condé Nast titles were run largely by the top editors in the countries where they are based. With the shake-up, the leadership team in New York will have more oversight as part of what the company described in a news release as the “global unification of the brand editorial teams.”

The further promotion of Ms. Wintour, 71, comes after she was criticized by members of her own staff for fostering a workplace that sidelined women of color. The move also comes as a riposte to years of whispers, in gossip columns and at fashion-industry parties, that she would be leaving Vogue.

Roger Lynch, the Condé Nast chief executive, made his support clear in a statement on Tuesday. “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,” he said.

The New Yorker is one Condé Nast publication that is not part of Ms. Wintour’s purview. David Remnick, the magazine’s editor since 1998, will continue to report directly to Mr. Lynch, as does Ms. Wintour. The New Yorker has started to outshine Vogue in the United States, on a pace to surpass the fashion glossy as Condé Nast’s biggest contributor to U.S. profits by the end of the year.

Shortly before the corporate restructuring and promotion of Ms. Wintour, three powerful editors of Vogue’s top international editions left the company.

Angelica Cheung, the head of Vogue China for nearly two decades, stepped down last Tuesday. Vogue China has been one of Condé Nast’s best-performing titles, one of the rare U.S. media brands that has gained a large following in China.

Soon after Ms. Cheung’s exit, Christiane Arp, the head of Vogue Germany, announced her departure. Also this month, the head of Vogue Spain, Eugenia de la Torriente, said she would be leaving the company.

The changes come as the company grapples with declining ad sales and staff unrest over issues of diversity and inclusion. The company has also had to contend with a shrinking base of print readers, which has led to layoffs and pay cuts.