Time Inc. editor-in-chief Martha Nelson is ending her long run at the company, as part of a number of changes to its executive team and a reorganization of its editorial operations.
CEO Joe Ripp announced the changes to employees on Thursday, calling Nelson “a driving force here for more than 20 years.”
As part of the executive changes, the company has brought back former Time Inc. editor-in-chief Norm Pearlstine — more recently the chief content officer for Bloomberg L.P. — in the newly created role of executive vice president and chief content officer. Pearlstine will oversee the company’s editorial policies and take on “a dotted line responsibility for editors,” Ripp said.
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Pearlstine will also lead the business and editing teams in driving the development of new content and new content experiences.
The company has also brought American Express marketing executive Lynne Biggar on as executive vice president of consumer marketing and appointed News Corp veteran Lon Jacobs on as executive vice president and general counsel. Jacobs will replace executive vice president and general counsel of corporate development Maurice Edelson, who is moving to Time Warner as senior vice president and deputy general counsel.
The executive shakeup is accompanied by a decentralization of Time Inc.’s editorial operations, with editors reporting to the group presidents of their respective divisions — David Geithner at style & entertainment, Evelyn Webster for lifestyle and Todd Larsen for news and sports.
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Nelson was the founding editor of InStyle, which Ripp called “one of the most successful launches ever seen in publishing. Nearly two decades later it has become a global powerhouse and one of our most valuable properties. Martha went on to revitalize People and worked to expand the brand across multiple platforms and launch new franchises.”
Ripp said that the new executive structure will “create a strong partnership between business and editorial, promote creativity and result in a cohesive vision for each of our brands that will be essential to long-term growth.”