Charles H. Townsend, who led Condé Nast during digital transition, dies at 82

Charles H. Townsend, longtime CEO of Condé Nast and a key executive during the industry’s shift from print to digital, died at 82 on June 11 in Vero Beach, Florida. Condé Nast’s parent company of magazines including Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, confirmed the death; his family said he died of sepsis in a hospital, according to his daughter Kathryn Townsend Simpson. Townsend became CEO in 2004, when print advertising still drove major profit, and retired 12 years later as digital transformation accelerated and ad revenue declined. Under his leadership, Condé Nast shuttered titles such as Gourmet, Details and Lucky and cut workplace perks. Although Townsend believed print margins could rebound, the company continued to shrink its print footprint while digital revenue struggled to offset losses. He stepped down as CEO in 2015, became chair in 2015, and left the company in 2016.