The New York Times Magazine has a new editor, and it’s a bit of a surprise choice.
Hugo Lindgren, who left New York magazine seven months ago to oversee Bloomberg’s BusinessWeek redesign as its executive editor, is heading to the New York Times Sunday glossy.
Lindgren replaces Gerry Marzorati, who has taken on a special projects role at the Times. Lindgren starts October 25.
Executive editor Bill Keller said he “talked to a lot of great candidates, inside and outside of The Times, but Hugo stood out for his creativity, his charisma, and his experience helping to refresh two major magazines.”
But according to the New York Observer, Lindgren was not Keller’s first choice. New Yorker features editor Daniel Zalewski was offered the job but recently turned it down, according to the paper. It was thought at that point Keller, who had been looking for a replacement for Marzorati since June, would hire from within.
It's a bit of a homecoming for Lindgren once worked as an editor at the Times magazine under Adam Moss, New York magazine’s editor who lured Lindgren to follow him there. (At the Times, Lindgren created the "Way We Live Now" feature.)
Lindgren also once served as a senior editor at John F. Kennedy Jr.’s George.
Here’s Keller’s memo to the staff:
Our search for the next editor of The New York Times Magazine has taken us to some of the masters of the genre and introduced us to some exciting dark horses. We have considered strong candidates within the paper and without, and enjoyed much discussion of what this journalistic treasure should be in its next incarnation. I’m quite delighted to report that the search ends now with Hugo Lindgren — a gifted editor who has helped breathe new life into two magazines and is fully ready to run his own.
It is something of a homecoming. Hugo worked at our magazine, helping invent “The Way We Live Now” franchise. He was lured away by Adam Moss when Adam moved to New York magazine. In March he assumed the executive editor job at Business Week after that troubled book was bought by Bloomberg and began a revival. He has written (extremely well) about business, architecture and pop music.
Hugo, who is 42, grew up in Manhattan, attended Trinity and Duke, and lives here with his wife, the writer Sarah Bernard, and their twin daughters.
“He’s very smart, wildly creative and charismatic,” says one editor who has worked closely with him. “People like him and want to do their best work for him. He just has a great magazine head.”
The search took longer than I anticipated because there were so many credible candidates, but I could not be happier about the outcome.
Hugo will move in October 25.
I want to particularly thank Gerry Marzorati for keeping the magazine on form during our successor search while simultaneously taking up his new role as the newsroom’s master entrepreneur and, not incidentally, blogging the U.S. Open. This Sunday’s issue, with the cover on Glenn Beck, is a reminder that Gerry will be a hard act to follow. And my gratitude extends to Alex Star and the rest of the magazine staff for their energy, devotion, high standards and patience during this protracted process.
Best,
Bill
