Essence’s Michelle Ebanks has added oversight for People en Español as Time Inc. handed her duties for another important multicultural title. Now, Ebanks will be president of People en Español in addition to her role as president of Essence Communications.
A 15–year vet of Time Inc., Ebanks is credited with attracting big advertisers to Essence and building out its brand through the Essence Music Festival and its joint venture with the Warner Bros. Television Group, a Time Warner corporate sibling. Her appointment could be seen as an effort by Time Inc. to apply that approach to People en Español, a leading Hispanic-aimed magazine but one whose growth has been limited.
Along with Ebanks' promotion, People en Español also named Time Inc. corporate sales vice president Monique Manso as its publisher, filling a position that’s been vacant since Lucia Ballas-Traynor stepped down in March. The appointment, announced by Time Inc.'s chief revenue officer Paul Caine, may reinforce the notion that it’s business as usual at Time Inc. even though the company has been without a CEO since Jack Griffin was fired in February after just five months on the job.
