Variety Gets
First Female Publisher

Jay Penske, the new owner of Variety, announced Oct. 18 a new publisher for the 107-year-old trade magazine: Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, who replaces Brian Gott and becomes the magazine’s first woman publisher.

Penske acquired the magazine Oct. 9, and Gott subsequently resigned. Sobrino-Stearns joined Variety in 1997 and has been sales director, managing director of features and associate publisher.

Penske’s company, PMC, has a portfolio that includes Deadline Hollywood, HollywoodLife, MovieLine and PMC Studios.