Much to Atlantic Media CEO David Bradley‘s surprise, he’s losing the president of The Atlantic, M. Scott Havens. Havens is leaving for a position with Time Inc. in New York. He’s been in his current position since September, 2012. The news was announced today in a memo from Bradley, who called him a “deeply fine man.” Lots of moving around at Atlantic Media. Just this week, they hired on Richard Just to edit National Journal Magazine. Before that, The Atlantic lost one of its top communications people, Natalie Raabe, who went to NBC News. Anna Bross soon replaced her.
See the memo from Bradley below.
Colleagues,
Somewhat to my surprise, and I think to his, Scott Havens has decided to return to New York to accept a (huge) appointment with the new Time Inc. – the (soon-to-be) Time-Warner spin-off of its great and iconic magazine brands. Scott will become Senior Vice President, Digital helping the new Time Inc. executive team forge an independent path.
I have known Scott since his arrival at Atlantic Media in May, 2009. He took the presidency of The Atlantic division in September, 2012. These things said, I’ve only worked directly with Scott for the last six months. Everything I have seen in that time recommends him. He is a remarkable media talent and a deeply fine man. Further, he leaves The Atlantic in what we believe to be, at least financially, the publication’s high water mark in 157 years. (The year is young; there are so many ways media finds to go bad. But, Atlantic revenues year to date are up 25% over last year’s record success.) Scott is a gifted man, cut from that very cloth Henry Luce intended for his legendary organization.
For our part, I have turned already to the requirement and privilege of finding The Atlantic’s next president. In the past, I have found some leaders in the first conversation. Other times, as in the search for James Bennet, I’ve met with (almost) 100 candidates along the way. Here, hoping for the former search, not the latter, I have some starting ideas already. Regardless, we will hold to the aspirational attributes we intend in all our recruiting – a strong force of intellect and a spirit of generosity.
Scott will be with us through March. We will find occasions to thank him and send him off with gratitude.
David