Farrah Storr

Farrah Storr MBE is a media leader, author, and former Chief Operating Officer of Substack, recognised for her expertise in leadership, creativity, and navigating discomfort as a catalyst for success. As founding editor of Women's Health and the editor who transformed Cosmopolitan, increasing circulation by 59%, she built a decade-long career reshaping major UK titles including Elle. Named Editor of the Year and honoured with an MBE for services to publishing and diversity, Farrah now supports founders building independent media businesses whilst writing her forthcoming book, How Not to Have Children. Her keynote sessions and TEDx talks equip leaders and organisations with practical strategies to harness constraint, lead through change, and unlock creative breakthroughs in periods of transformation.

During a decade at the helm of Britain's most influential women's magazines, Farrah Storr MBE transformed entire publications and redefined what editorial leadership could achieve in the digital age. As founding editor of Women's Health, she delivered the most successful magazine launch of the millennium, then went on to reimagine Cosmopolitan for a new generation, increasing circulation by 59% and making it the UK's best-selling young women's title. Her tenure as editor-in-chief of Elle UK cemented her reputation as a leader who could steer major brands through periods of profound creative change whilst maintaining commercial success and cultural relevance.

Farrah's expertise in leading teams through transformation earned her recognition as Editor of the Year at both the PPA Awards and the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards. She has been named amongst the UK's most powerful BAME leaders by The Guardian and Operation Black Vote, recognised as one of The Evening Standard's Progress 1000 changemakers in media, and awarded an MBE for services to publishing and diversity. Her influence extends beyond editorial through advisory roles on the government's Social Mobility Commission and Oxford Brookes' Journalism Advisory Board. She is also the author of The Discomfort Zone, a book exploring how challenge and constraint unlock creativity and human potential, and has delivered two TEDx talks on authentic leadership and the power of discomfort. Following her editorial career, Farrah became Chief Operating Officer at Substack, where she helped build the platform from its early days into a thriving ecosystem for independent writers and creators.

Now Head of Substack International, Farrah supports founders building independent media businesses whilst writing her forthcoming book, How Not to Have Children, secured by Ebury Press in a seven-way auction. As a keynote speaker, she has addressed audiences at Google, The Cambridge Union, and major conferences worldwide, equipping leaders with practical strategies to harness constraint, navigate change, and drive creative breakthroughs. Her sessions help organisations understand how to lead through transformation, find authentic voice in crowded markets, and build cultures where challenge becomes catalyst. Whether speaking to teams of twenty or moderating panels before audiences of 20,000, Farrah delivers insights that translate directly into action, enabling leaders to turn discomfort into competitive advantage and uncertainty into opportunity.