Hearst Magazines has announced that Katie Vanneck-Smith has been named Chief Executive Officer of Hearst UK. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz, Hearst Magazines President Debi Chirichella and Hearst Magazines International President Jonathan Wright, to whom Vanneck-Smith will report.
Vanneck-Smith succeeds Simon Horne, who has been with Hearst Magazines International for more than 20 years, most recently as interim CEO of Hearst UK. Previously, he was senior vice president and managing director of the company’s Asia Pacific and Russia businesses.
“Katie is an entrepreneurial leader with experience building and monetising audiences,” Chirichella said. “Her passion for media and profound understanding of clients and customers’ needs in a digital world will enable us to build on Hearst UK’s solid foundation. We thank Simon for his strong leadership, unwavering dedication, and many contributions to our business over the years and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Vanneck-Smith joins Hearst from Tortoise Media, a global media outlet that she co-founded in 2018. Prior to that, she was the President and Chief Customer Officer for Dow Jones, where she helped build and lead The Wall Street Journal’s successful online membership-based business.
“Katie is an experienced and inspiring leader, and a lover of print who embraces the opportunities of digital,” Wright said. “She is content, customer, and client-focused to her core with an impressive track record of driving growth in media organisations. I am delighted she will be leading our UK operations and I have every confidence she will bring her inimitable brand of leadership and joy to the business and deliver our next exciting chapter of growth in the market.”
Vanneck-Smith added: “I am thrilled to join Hearst Magazines to lead their portfolio of brilliant brands in the UK, many of which I have enjoyed for my whole life. “These are brands that people care about. Their heritage and heart means there is enormous potential for growth and I can’t wait to work with the team to develop new ways to deepen those valuable brand relationships, and to surprise and delight customers, clients and the industry.”
Meanwhile, Hearst UK also last week announced the return of the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards, which will take place on Thursday 10th November 2022 at Claridge’s hotel in London.
Launched in 2007, the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of women in the worlds of fashion, film, art, music, philanthropy, activism and literature. Winners will be named in categories including Actress, Icon, Inspiration, Artist, Writer and Breakthrough. You can find the latest Hearst news here.