NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Conde Nast Media Group President Richard Beckman will take on a new role for the glossy-magazine company: president-CEO of the Fairchild Fashion Group, effective immediately.
"Richard has strong relationships in the fashion, beauty and retail communities both here and abroad, and he is one of the most creative minds in the media business," Mr. Townsend said in a statement. "This position provides him with a unique platform to realize our vision for the FFG franchise worldwide."
The Media Group has had less work this year in the absence of Fashion Rocks, its biggest program, which is on hiatus for 2009. The group, with a staff of about 135 people in departments including creative services, production, marketing and sales, cut staffers earlier this month. Mr. Beckman's role atop the Media Group was recently questioned when Conde considered him to take over Parade Publications, a sibling within Conde parent Advance Publications.
Mr. Beckman has been president of Conde Nast Media Group since July 2004. Previously he was exec VP-chief marketing officer of Conde Nast. Under Mr. Beckman, the Conde Nast corporate sales and marketing group evolved into the Conde Nast Media Group, which now supports all of Conde Nast Publications and Conde Nast Digital.