18 June 2010

Vogue Publisher Florio Leaving Conde Nast

The Wall Street Journal

 
Tom Florio, the long-time publisher of Vogue, is leaving Conde Nast Publications Inc. at the end of the month, Mr. Florio said Thursday.

Mr. Florio said in an interview that he has been talking to Conde Nast Chief Executive Chuck Townsend for some time about leaving the company to explore opportunities to run a business.

"I want to be CEO of my own company," he said, adding, "we already have a really good CEO." He said he has not made a decision on his next move.

Mr. Florio, 54 years old, has been at Conde Nast since the mid 1980s and spent most of the last eight years as publisher of Vogue. During that time, he lifted Conde Nast's flagship to new advertising heights. Vogue topped 3,200 pages in 2007, when the creation of its September issue became the basis for a motion picture.

He is also credited with helping to push Vogue beyond its print roots in an effort to keep the magazine relevant to young readers and blunt the effects of the recent drop-off in luxury advertising. Vogue launched Vogue.TV, a Web TV and shopping network developed in collaboration with advertisers, and Model.Live, an online reality show about the modeling industry. Mr. Florio also set up an in-house creative team to compete with advertising agencies.

Late last year, Mr. Florio took on an expanded role as senior vice president and publishing director of a group of magazines that includes Bon Appetit and Conde Nast Traveler in addition to Vogue.

Mr. Florio said he wants to use his experience at Vogue to take a business or brand and create entertainment opportunities around it.

"I've been here a long time and I really love the place," Mr. Florio said. "So it's not like I'm unhappy. But if I don't do this now, then when?"

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