Condé Nast Shake-up: Samantha Barry Leaves Glamour, Self Magazine Closes

Cork Woman Samantha Barry Steps Down as Editor-in-Chief at Glamour Magazine After eight years leading the US edition of Glamour magazine, Samantha Barry has announced her departure as editor-in-chief and exit from Condé Nast. The Irish journalist confirmed the move via Instagram, stating she made the decision after reflecting on the magazine’s evolving business model and her own career trajectory. Barry, a native of Ballincollig in Cork, Ireland, first joined Glamour in 2018 following a distinguished career in broadcast journalism. Prior to her role at the magazine, she worked as a reporter and producer for RTÉ, BBC, CNN, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. At CNN, she served as an executive producer for CNN Worldwide and played a key role in the network’s 2016 presidential election coverage, which earned the first-ever Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in social media. Under Barry’s leadership, Glamour transitioned from a monthly print publication to a digital-first platform. The January 2019 issue marked the final monthly print edition of the US version of the magazine, a shift Barry championed to align with changing audience habits and digital engagement. In 2024, she was appointed as the first global editorial director for Glamour, overseeing the brand’s international editions. Throughout her tenure, Barry emphasized storytelling as the core of her editorial vision. In her farewell message, she credited Anna Wintour, former Vogue editor and Condé Nast chief content officer, for championing her career and described working alongside her as “one of the great professional privileges.” She similarly expressed pride in the teams she worked with across Glamour’s global operations. Barry’s departure comes amid broader changes at Condé Nast, including the recent shutdown of Self magazine, another title under the company’s portfolio. While she did not specify her next steps, Barry indicated she is pursuing new projects and remains enthusiastic about the future of storytelling in media. She currently resides in New York City, near Gramercy Park, and continues to be recognized for her contributions to digital media innovation and women’s publishing.