After 16 years heading up Glamour Magazine in the US, Cindi Leive announced last September that she would be stepping down from the role. Now, Condé Nast has announced Leive’s replacement: 36-year-old Irish native and former CNN head of social Samantha Barry.
Speaking on Barry’s appointment, Condé Nast artistic director and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour told Business of Fashion: “As an editor she has led all manner of news coverage from the 2016 presidential election and the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting to the love story voicemails and the 2018 New Year's Eve festivities.
“Sam understands social media as a tool for storytelling and reporting; a way to support social conversation and the ever-changing contours of what’s cool. Sam is fearless, like so many leaders of the moment, and has both a reverence for Glamour’s history and a crystal clear view of its future in the digital environment.”
Hiring a social media specialist to head up the glossy indicates Condé Nast’s clear shift towards a digital-first business. Last year Glamour was reduced to 11 issues per year, and British Glamour was shifted to a digital-first platform.
In statement, Barry expressed her elation at being picked for the job, saying: “I am as humbled by Glamour’s past as I am excited about Glamour’s future.
“I could not be more proud to take the reigns of an iconic women’s brand at this pivotal moment for all women’s voices. For me, Glamour is the home of strong storytellers, insightful journalism, beauty and fashion. I look forward to building on the brand’s success, and sharing Glamour with audiences everywhere.”
