Samantha Barry Named New Editor in Chief of Glamour
Glamour has a new editor in chief: Samantha Barry, who comes from CNN, where she was the executive producer for social and emerging media at CNN Worldwide.
In a long-awaited announcement on Monday morning, Condé Nast touted Barry’s digital skills.
“Sam is Glamour’s first digital-native editor, which is to say she arrives from the future rather than the past,” Condé Nast artistic director Anna Wintour said. “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.”
“As we continue to innovate our content and distribution to reach next generation audiences, it is critical that our creators understand the symbiotic relationship between the audience, content and the best platforms to deliver each story and experience,” Condé Nast chief executive officer and president Bob Sauerberg said. “Samantha’s fluency in connecting with consumers in digital, social and video will give Glamour fans the content they love, and in ways that are most meaningful to them.”
Barry takes over from Cindi Leive, who revealed her departure last September.
“I am as humbled by Glamour’s past as I am excited about Glamour’s future,” said Barry. “I could not be more proud to take the reins 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.”
Barry, who was born in Ireland and came to CNN from BBC World News, is an unexpected choice for what has been an eagerly watched appointment. Many media observers thought that the position would go to Teen Vogue editor in chief Elaine Wentworth, although many names had been bandied around in the months since Leive revealed that she would step down, including long-shot rumors such as Lena Dunham and Eva Chen.
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