Biography
Career magazine publisher David Carey is the former president and current senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Hearst Corporation. Carey joined Hearst in 2010 from magazine rival Condé Nast, where he was group president. In June 2018, the head of Hearst Magazines announced he was stepping down at the end of the year after 8 years at the media company, moving to the position of chairman of the division. In 2019, he took on the role of senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Hearst Corporation.
Carey’s career-defining move was the 2011 acquisition of 102 magazines across 15 countries from French media company Lagardère SCA in a deal reportedly worth €650 million. These so-called "Hachette" titles contributed significantly to Hearst Magazine’s results in 2012, which included international editions of magazines like Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar in important markets like China. According to Carey, the acquisition will allow Hearst to split earning equally between the United States and the rest of the world.
The publishing executive started his career at Hearst title Esquire before launching SmartMoney in a joint venture with the Wall Street Journal, which turned a profit after just two years. He is also credited with the turnaround of Condé Nast literary magazine The New Yorker after many years of net losses. At Hearst, Carey placed heavy emphasis on broadening digital subscribers, which in 2012 accounted for only 3 percent of the company’s total number. He has also strengthened his magazines’ brands through television and other media, such as channel G4 to the Esquire Network. Carey has a degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Along with the news of his stepping down as president of Hearst Magazines, Carey announced his new position as a fellow at the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative.