Phillip Picardi is returning to publishing. Well, technically. The former Condé Nast wunderkind is the new chief brand officer and editor in chief of Playboy.
Picardi, of course, first came to New York publishing prominence in 2015 when he was named digital editorial director of Teen Vogue. In 2017, he launched Condé Nast’s short-lived queer platform them before being named chief content officer of Teen Vogue in January of 2018. He was announced as the new editor in chief of Out magazine in August of 2018, but didn’t officially take on the role until later in the year, sticking around at Condé Nast while they searched for and transitioned his replacement, Lindsay Peoples Wagner.
Picardi lasted about a year at Out, leaving in December of 2019 after the publication suffered multiple rounds of layoffs, severe pay and budget cuts, a reduction in print frequency (from 10 issues to six), and ongoing issues of freelancers not being paid.
He matriculated at Harvard Divinity School in 2021, earning a Master of Religion and Public Life (MRPL) before being appointed chief marketing and communications officer of the Los Angeles LGBT Center (the world’s largest LGBTQ+ organization and direct service provider) in September 2022. He was at The Center until 2024, but left to become chief brand officer of Weight Watchers in September of that year.
Picardi joins Playboy alongside recently appointed president of media and brand, David Miller — a former executive vice president at Disney’s National Geographic.
“Our moment right now is both extremely prudish and extremely pornographic,” Picardi told ADWEEK. “The idea that we need a publication that is able to explain sexuality as a cultural force, especially as our younger folks are facing a sex recession and loneliness epidemic — it felt like the right challenge.”
Image provided by Playboy
Piccardi is the first openly queer man to head the publication and has reportedly been consulting with the Playboy organization since November of 2025, laying the groundwork for this new appointment.
Playboy might seem like an odd choice for Picardi, a man who built his career on progressing queer rights and representation in media, but the magazine has always positioned itself as left-leaning and progressive in regards to sexual freedom, reproductive rights, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
“Queer rights don’t exist without women’s rights,” Picardi told ADWEEK. “These things are connected, and Playboy has always been very engaged with that.”
Playboy has also objectified women and run as a sort of “dating service” for its founder, Hugh Hefner, who was accused of rape, assault, and drugging by numerous former Playmates, girlfriends, and employees.
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