After seven years at the helm of the publishing group behind the global editions of Vogue and Vanity Fair, Roger Lynch has announced his departure to become chief executive of toymaker Mattel. The executive, whose initial remit was to unite the US and international subsidiaries, is stepping down while ensuring a smooth handover with Mike Perlis, against a backdrop of rising commercial revenue and digital subscriptions.
Roger Lynch – Condé Nast
Roger Lynch’s tenure at Condé Nast began in spring 2019, when he became the first chief executive officer of the group’s newly unified structure. The publisher had just merged its US and international operations, prompting the departures of Bob Sauerberg and Jonathan Newhouse from their respective leadership roles.
Roger Lynch was selected for his technical and media expertise, having previously led Pandora, the streaming radio service, and founded Sling TV. His brief was to steer the digital transformation of a media group that at the time claimed an audience of one billion consumers across thirty markets.
Under his leadership, the company weathered the pandemic and the wider upheavals in the publishing industry. The strategy focused on expanding consumer-facing activities and events to diversify revenue streams. Since 2020, commerce revenue has reportedly risen by 170 %, while digital subscriptions have registered a sharp increase of 155 %, according to the outgoing chief executive.
“When I joined Condé Nast, my simple ambition was to leave this extraordinary organisation stronger than I found it,” said Roger Lynch. “Together, we have navigated a pandemic, enormous upheavals in our industry, and a media landscape that seemed to be changing beneath our feet every year.”, added.
Growth and internal reorganisation
This consolidation strategy was accompanied by targeted geographic expansion into new markets. The opening of an office in Dubai to oversee operations in the Middle East marked the group’s first new subsidiary in sixteen years. From a financial standpoint, as the third quarter draws to a close, the company confirms it is on track to deliver another year of growth in revenue and profits.
The board of directors is now launching the search for the company’s next chief executive. During this interim period, the role of interim chief executive has been entrusted to Mike Perlis. Having served on the board for nearly eight years as lead independent director, he will oversee operations in collaboration with the executive team.
Roger Lynch will retain a seat on the board of directors to ensure continuity of strategic direction. An internal meeting is scheduled shortly to present the new organisational structure to the teams and to set out the details of this transition.
