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Politico reports that Maxim's publisher and owner Sardar Biglari will soon officially be named editor-in-chief. Ever since Maxim ousted EIC Kate Lanphear in October, Biglari's been very hands-on at the magazine. His signature is on the cover of every Maxim right below the logo, and he appeared in a photo spread with December's cover star Alessandra Ambrosio. Politico's Peter Sterne writes:
A Maxim staffer said that the new masthead title just formalizes what has always been clear: Biglari exercises full editorial control over Maxim. At one point last year, the staffer said, he decided to throw out a nearly-complete version of the December issue in order to completely redesign the magazine.
Lanphear wanted to reinvent Maxim with a fashion-forward vision, leaving its lad magazine roots behind. Since her departure, Maxim returned to its original strategy of putting naked women on the cover in December, and hired former GQ columnist Glenn O'Brien as its editor-at-large. Politico reports that the next issue's masthead will list Biglari as EIC and fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon will be named to a senior creative position.