Ed Nardoza To Retire, Miles Socha Named WWD EIC

NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Penske Media's Chairman and CEO Jay Penske has named Miles Socha Editor in Chief of WWD. Socha, a veteran journalist who has most recently served as WWD's Executive Editor, Europe, will succeed Edward Nardoza, WWD's longstanding Editor in Chief.

Nardoza will be stepping down to enter retirement after 25 years in his role and 32 years overall at WWD's parent Fairchild Fashion Media. He will work closely with Socha through January to seamlessly transition the role and responsibilities.   

"It is difficult to leave my WWD family, particularly at such an exciting time with momentum building across the entire WWD organization. However, the time has come for a plan I've discussed with Jay for a long time, and we've got the right leader in place for the future," said Nardoza. "It feels good to leave my post in the hands of a journalist as capable as Miles, who I've worked with side-by-side for nearly two decades; I know he and the organization's team of talented, dedicated journalists will successfully steer WWD for years to come."

In his announcement to the WWD staff on Thursday evening, Penske stated, "Ed is one of the finest editors of his generation. As WWD's Editor in Chief for the last 25 years, he has impeccably led and built the top news operation across fashion, beauty and retail."

Penske continued to say, "With Miles, we could not have chosen a more capable, talented and innovative leader to continue Ed's work. For those of you who know Miles, you absolutely understand my decision; and for those who have not yet met Miles, you will quickly learn why he is the right leader – he's a smart, driven and fair journalist deeply entrenched in our industry who also brings with him a progressive digital perspective. I look forward to all we plan to accomplish."

Originally launched in 1910 as a fashion industry daily, and for four decades under the pioneering stewardship of John B. Fairchild, WWD has grown into "the fashion bible" for CEOs, business owners, designers and other thought leaders in the fashion, retail and beauty industries. Owned by Penske Media since 2014, the WWD brand boasts an award-winning weekly print product, a steadily growing Web site, and an innovative digital daily. The business also produces a highly profitable series of year-round global events, including its most recently launched WWD Global Fashion Forum in Asia.

As the WWD brand continues to expand globally, Socha's experience with international leaders and audiences in the fashion, retail and beauty industries makes for a good fit. Beyond his role as European Editor for WWD, Socha brings to his Editor in Chief role extensive international experience that includes reporting, feature writing and editing for newspapers and magazines in his native Canada.

"WWD is the fashion world's most vital and dynamic news organization and I feel privileged and honored to lead its global teams," said Socha. "I look forward to extending this brand's news leadership as well as its celebration of creativity, just as Ed has done so beautifully for the last 25 years."

Socha joined Fairchild Fashion Media in 1995, initially covering the designer men's wear market at DNR before taking on the designer and denim beats at WWD. He became WWD's Paris bureau chief in 2000 and its European editor in 2008, A journalism graduate from Ottawa's Carleton University, Socha began his career at the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, a daily newspaper.  Socha will relocate to the publication's New York headquarters from WWD's Paris office, and will report to Penske Media CEO and Chairman Jay Penske.

Nardoza's tenure spanned three decades, during which time he became the heart of WWD, guiding the brand through a challenging industry climate while never relenting on the original mission tenets established by Fairchild. Nardoza's announced retirement includes plans to spend more time with his lovely wife and family. He also plans to finally write a few books.

About WWD

WWD is the authority for news and trends in the worlds of fashion, beauty and retail. Featuring daily headlines and breaking news from all Women's Wear Daily publications, WWD provides the most comprehensive coverage anywhere of fashion, beauty and retail news and is the leading destination for all fashion week updates and show reviews from New York, Paris, Milan and London.

About PMC

Penske Media Corporation (PMC) is a leading digital media, publishing, and information services company that engages with audiences across the web, television, mobile, print and social media.  PMC's owned and operated brands reach more than 179 million visitors monthly (comScore, 2016) and Penske Media was recently named one of the Top 100 Private Companies in the United States and North America.  With the preeminence of its brands, PMC is one of the largest digital media companies in the world, publishing more than 20 digital media brands, including its India.com joint venture with ZEE TV in India and Variety Latino joint venture with Univision Communications Inc.  PMC additionally owns and produces more than 80 annual events, summits, award shows and conferences while housing a dynamic research and emerging data business. As of 2016, PMC businesses include: PMC Studios, WWD, Variety Inc., Deadline.com, Fairchild Media, M, India.com, GoldDerby.com, FootwearNews.com, TVLine, CricketCountry.com, Hollywood Life, Beauty Inc, BGR, AwardsLine, Bollywood Life, BPB.in, LA411, NY411, Variety Insight, and Indiewire.com. The company is headquartered in New York, NY and Los Angeles, California with an additional 11 offices around the world.

SOURCE WWD