Observed Signal · Aug 27, 2026 · Hiring · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
i‑D Appoints Michiel Steur as First CEO
i‑D has named Michiel Steur as its first chief executive officer, a newly created role at the 46‑year‑old fashion and culture publisher. Steur, who joined i‑D in October 2024 as chief commercial officer, will officially start on Oct. 1 and report to the leadership of parent company Bedford Media. Bedford Media acquired i‑D from Vice Media in November 2023 and is backed by supermodel Karlie Kloss and venture capitalist Josh Kushner. Under Steur, i‑D plans to maintain its editorial mission while evolving into a broader media and cultural platform, leaning into print, branded partnerships, events, and creative services to diversify revenue amid open‑web ad challenges.
Leadership hire at a legacy publisher owned by a deep‑pocketed new parent signals potential investment in revenue diversification (print, branded partnerships, events) and may affect supply and partnership opportunities for advertisers.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- i‑D appointed Michiel Steur as its first chief executive officer; he will officially start on Oct. 1.
- Steur joined i‑D in October 2024 as chief commercial officer.
- Bedford Media acquired i‑D from Vice Media in November 2023 and is the publisher's parent company.
- i‑D's print business accounts for 20% of total revenue, and the company has about 30 employees.
- i‑D reported 1.27 million YouTube subscribers and 2.4 million Instagram followers; its largest revenue line is creative partnerships (branded content).
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“He will report to the leadership of its new parent company, Bedford Media, which acquired the title in November 2023 from Vice Media as it n...”
“Kloss is also a partial owner of W Magazine and, through Bedford Media, operates Life Magazine through a licensing agreement with People Inc...”
“It introduced limited-edition print zines built around specific themes or talent, some produced editorially and others in partnership with b...”
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