Dasha Zhukova takes editor-in-chief post at Pop

Zhukova has previously been involved in a number of business ventures in the fashion and design fields, and will now lead a new team in Pop's new London office.

Born in Moscow, she is also known for dating Chelsea Football club owner and Russian tycoon, Roman Abramovich.

She is working in partnership with newly appointed editorial director, Ashley Heath, who conceived and co-launched Pop with David Davies, managing director of Pop and Bauer Media's Women's portfolio.

For the past five years, Heath has been an independent publisher and is the former fashion director of The Face and editor-in-chief of Arena Homme Plus.

Together, Zhukova and Heath have interviewed and appointed a new 10-strong team after Grand took most of the previous team with her to Conde Nast.

Other Pop hires include the former associate publisher of ShortList and fashion and advertising manager of Wallpaper, Tom Bailey, as associate publisher.

An editorial board has also been assembled to support the new era of the magazine, which includes design critic Alice Rawsthorn; artist and film director Sam Taylor-Wood; artist and art director Peter Saville; fashion icon Daphne Guinness; art director Julia Restoin Roitfield; Rebecca Wilson, head of development at Saatchi Gallery and editor of Saatchi-gallery.co.uk; and David Davies, managing director of Pop, among others.

The first issue of Pop created by the new team will be published on 1 September 2009, with a cover price of £5 and a larger print format. A new Pop website is also currently under development.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk