Joanna Coles

Joanna Coles is the global chief content officer at Hearst, where she oversees iconic brands including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire, as well as the newly launched Airbnbmag. Coles also holds positions on the board of directors of Snap Inc. and Women Entrepreneurs New York City, an initiative aimed at expanding female entrepreneurship, particularly in underserved communities. She co-created and serves as executive producer on two television projects: "So Cosmo," a docu-series broadcast in 152 countries on E!, and "The Bold Type," a scripted drama loosely inspired by her life and produced by Universal Television, which premiered on Freeform.

Before her tenure at Hearst, Coles moved to the U.S. in 1997 to become the New York bureau chief for The Guardian, subsequently serving as the New York columnist for The Times of London. She joined Hearst in 2006 as editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, and later took on the role of editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan, the world’s largest women’s media brand, in 2012. Her leadership at these publications has not only solidified her position in the media industry but also garnered her numerous prestigious awards for journalism and media leadership.

Coles is currently involved in writing a book with Harper Collins that focuses on relationships in the digital age. Having been described by The New York Times as “one of the most powerful people in media,” her career reflects a significant contribution to both media innovation and the support of women's entrepreneurship and leadership.