Page 70 - 2018 Powerlist

Media, Publishing& Entertainment Vanessa Kingori

Publisher, British Vogue

In 2015, Vanessa made history as the youngest and first
female publisher of British GQ, not to mention the first and
only BME publisher in 100 years of Conde Nast UK.
Then last year she landed an MBE, making her the only
publisher in the company to receive the award.
But it was 2017 when she really made the headlines by
being appointed publishing director of British Vogue,
becoming its first female and first BME publisher in its 100-
year history.
“Vanessa is the clear choice for this post,” Conde Nast
managing director Albert Read said. “She has shown
herself to be an outstanding executive, with the ability to
harness the continuing power of print while embracing the
platforms, ideas and collaborations that resonate with a new
generation of consumer and client.”
Starting out briefly as a model, Vanessa began work in the
advertising department at BBC magazines then joined the
London Evening Standard, where she became acting group
head of ES Magazine and then Fashion Manager of Esquire.
She is a board member of African food brand Chika’s
Foods and is involved with mentoring Mentor MatcherHER,
which pairs established female businesswomen with female
entrepreneurs. She has been a judge for the Black British
Business awards and is on the Mayor of London’s new
Steve McQueen Brexit Expert Advisory Panel, a board of business leaders,
investors and academics whom the Mayor calls upon
Film director for advice on the risks, challenges and opportunities for
London following the vote to leave the European Union.

Film fans and critics are revving up for Oscar-winning
director Steve’s first movie since 2013 smash hit 12 Years a
Slave.
The acclaimed filmmaker is to direct heist movie Widows,
starring Fargo actress Carrie Coon, Michelle Rodriguez,
Liam Neeson and Colin Farrell. It is based on Lynda
LaPlante’s 1983 British mini-series of the same name, telling
the story of a group of armed thieves who are killed during a
botched robbery – and whose widows unite to finish the job.
Steve is regarded as one of the most talented filmmakers
of his generation and he remains the only black person to
win an Academy Award for directing. 12 Years a Slave made
a star of actress Lupita N’yongo and the brutal historical
slave drama, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender
and Brad Pitt, also won a Bafta Award for Best Film and a
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Last year Steve was granted the British Film Institute’s
highest honour, the BFI Fellowship.
The 47-year-old, who grew up in west London but has
lived in Holland for many years, is also a prominent artist
whose work encompasses installations and videos. His work
is held in collections across the world, including London’s
Tate Modern, MoMA in New York and The Art Institute of
Chicago among others. Steve won the Turner Prize, Britain’s
best known art award, in 1999.
In August 2016 he was awarded the prestigious Johannes
Vermeer arts award in Holland. He was awarded a CBE
in 2011 for services to the visual arts, and TIME magazine
included Steve in its annual ‘100 Most Influential People in
the World’ list in 2014.

66 Powerlist 2018