• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, August 25, 2015

High-end publisher Condé Nast is bolstering its in-house native content outfit, 23 Stories, with two new senior-level appointments from within the company. Josh Stinchcomb is moving to the branded content studio as managing director, and Dirk Standen is taking up the role of editor in chief. The new appointments were announced Tuesday by Edward Menicheschi, chief marketing officer of Condé Nast and president of the Condé Nast Media Group.

Stinchcomb is taking up a new role at CN after previously serving as senior vice president of sales strategy and partnerships for the Condé Nast Media Group, having ascended through the management ranks with several senior sales and business roles.

Standen previously served as digital creative director at Condé Nast’s W, overseeing the fashion and culture mag’s digital strategy; Standen will continue to supervise W’s upcoming digital relaunch. Before W, Standen served as editor-in-chief of Style.com 

Raul Martinez continues to serve as creative director-at-large for 23 Stories. Pat Connolly, who previously served as vice-president of marketing solutions for Condé Nast Media Group, has been promoted to senior vice-president of strategy for 23 Stories.

Condé Nast launched 23 Stories in January to help its advertising clients engage consumers by tapping into the expertise of the publisher’s own editorial teams. The studio draws on editorial talent from across the Media Group, as well as production know-how from Condé Nast Entertainment. The in-house studio includes a video development and production team.

The new organizational structure marked a major shift for the publisher, which previously maintained strict separation between its editorial staff and branded content producers.