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Joanna Coles

Joanna Coles is the chairwoman and CEO of Northern Star Acquisition Company I, II, III and IV, which announced a merger with BARK in December 2020 and Apex Clearing in February 2021. She is also the Executive Producer of ABC Freeform’s highly acclaimed The Bold Type, now in its fifth season and inspired by her career. She is the former Chief Content Officer of Hearst Magazines, responsible for 300 magazines globally. She sits on the public Board of Directors of Snap Inc. (Snapchat), Bark, and Sonos; as well as those of the private companies Density, a hard and software company which monitors use of physical space; and KDC, a leading manufacturer for the Health & Beauty industry; and the non-profit Women Entrepreneurs New York City, an initiative to expand female entrepreneurship, with a focus on underserved women and communities.

She advises several companies, including Cornell Capital, a private equity company; the Swedish payment disruptor Klarna, and Bustle Digital Media. She has a production development deal at ABC Studios, creating TV shows across Disney’s streaming platforms including FX and Hulu.

The British-born editor moved to the U.S. in 1997 as the New York Bureau Chief for The Guardian, before becoming the New York columnist forThe Times of London. Coles joined Hearst in 2006 as editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, where she co-produced the Style Network’s unscripted show Running in Heels. She was named editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the world’s largest women’s media brand, in 2012. She was the executive producer of the unscripted series So Cosmo on E! in 2017.

Over the course of her career, Coles has won numerous prestigious awards for journalism and media leadership. She was recently described by The New York Times as “one of the most powerful people in media.”

A frequent commentator on media, business and women’s issues, Coles is the author of Love Rules, published by HarperCollins, about relationships in the digital age. The book is being adapted for television by FX.

She lives in Manhattan and has two sons with the author Peter Godwin.

Love Rules: How to Find a Real Relationship in a Digital World book cover

Love Rules white bkgrd

Love Rules: How to Find a Real Relationship in a Digital World

Keynote Speaker Profile & Booking Details for Joanna Coles. Contact UTA Speakers to book top rated talent for live, hybrid, and virtual events.

Joanna Coles | Booking & Contact Info | UTA Speakers

The New York Times calls Joanna Coles “one of the most powerful people in media." Coles stands at the helm of digital media and big tech, overseeing and influencing the dynamic disruptions that the digital revolution has had on the global media landscape. Coles possess keen knowledge of content, narrative and storytelling from the viewpoint of the audience, not just the producer. She gets audiences to care, take notice, engage and share. 

As a board member of Snap, Inc!, the parent company of Snapchat, Coles understands relationships, technology, and trends, offering masterful guidance for how to balance each. In a world where consumers are empowered - capable of rocket launching a company or creating massive disruption with a single tweet or snap - Coles' insights are key to all businesses in every industry. As someone who understands the relationship between the producer and consumer, and the value of the content connecting them, she delivers actionable takeaways on how to build brand loyalty with emerging generations for long-term growth.

Coles’ understanding of the importance of relationships extends beyond the C-Suite and into romance and socialization, providing guidance on how to cultivate meaningful partnerships in a digital world dominated by dating and messaging apps.

Everything Coles touches evolves. From her early beginnings in journalism, her first show produced for the BBC spun off from radio into television. It was this same type of evolutionary thinking that skyrocketed Cosmopolitan’s reach beyond its traditional channels to co-branding with Snapchat through the launch of the Discover platform. Each chapter of her diverse career is evidence of Coles’ command of the audience and talent for leadership.

For 30 years, Coles has successfully told stories through print, radio, television, books and digital. As an iconic figure, Coles’ insights and anecdotes became the fodder for the hit series, The Bold Type on ABC’s Freeform. Her creative command of both the professional world and the personal will make her one of the most memorable and insightful speakers your audience has experienced to date.

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Picture of Joanna Coles seated at a moderated Q&A

Joanna Coles, Media Influencer, Top Business Executive and Female Powerhouse

Joanna Coles On Confidence, Career Advice And Claiming The Corner Office - Forbes

Joanna Coles Interviewed for Nasdaq Spotlight