Irish journalist Samantha Barry appointed editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine
Irish journalist Samantha Barry has been named as the new editor of Glamour magazine by Condé Nast.
The Cork native will become the eighth editor of the magazine and the first from an exclusively digital background to lead a Condé Nast magazine.
Barry had served as Head of Social Media and Emerging Media at CNN having previously had roles at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and BBC World News, as well as RTÉ and Newstalk.
Barry will replace Cindi Leive as editor-in-chief, with Leive having served for 16 years.
Thank you so much @cindi_leive. I’ve got impressive shoes to fill. https://t.co/b7fXrC0qek
— Samantha Barry (@samanthabarry) January 8, 2018
Speaking about the role, the 36-year-old said: "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."
Condé Nast’s artistic director, Anna Wintour, said in a statement that Barry was "fearless like so many leaders of the moment.
"Sam is Glamour’s first digital-native editor, which is to say she arrives from the future rather than the past," said Wintour.
"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 Years 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."
Wintour added that she felt Barry "has both a reverence for Glamour’s history and a crystal clear view of its future in the digital environment."
The appointment marks a shift for Glamour, one of the biggest fashion and beauty media brands in the world.
The magazine announced last year it was to undergo a digital-first strategy.
Bob Sauerberg, CEO and President of Condé Nast 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."
Speaking to the New York Times about the new position, Barry said "I care about the brand and the magazine is a huge part of that brand," before adding "Glamour is a brand — it’s not just a magazine."
