Media Headliner: Hughes to give his old mag a run for its money.(Chris Hughes to manage Easy Living's launch)

The charming yet grumpy publisher tells Emma Barns why Easy Living can thrive in Good Housekeeping's market.

After 12 years at The National Magazine Company, the last four as the publishing director on the national institution that is Good Housekeeping, you could forgive Chris Hughes for having become institutionalised. But his decision to defect to Conde Nast, as the launch publisher for a magazine that is set to give Good Housekeeping the first real run for its money in its 83-year history, suggests otherwise.

You get the impression he's loving every minute of the challenge of launching Easy Living (which hits the shelves this week). Behind the calm, urbane exterior, there seems to lurk a mischievous character delighted about the impact he's sure Easy Living will have.

Hughes says: 'How could I say no to Nicholas (Coleridge, the managing director of Conde Nast) when he called me about the job? The prospect of working on a Conde Nast launch, on which they had obviously done their homework thoroughly, was hugely exciting.'

And after becoming so familiar with Good Housekeeping, a bit of excitement was probably just what the doctor ordered. Hughes admits that it was a solid job, with the emphasis on steady growth. 'You just hope that it doesn't all go tits up on your watch as, frankly, that would be embarrassing,' he says. But that's not to say that Hughes was coasting at NatMags. He was more than willing to go the extra mile at Good Housekeeping and once delivered Easter eggs dressed as a chicken for the cause.

But is he right to be so excited about the launch? Conde Nast believes Easy Living's colour-coded sections are innovative. The front cover flap on the 304-page title signposts the eight sections (which include 'real life', 'food' and the US-styled 'emotional intelligence') and enables more content to be showcased on the cover.

Hughes explains that the low cover price is also tied in with the idea of sectioning. 'For pounds 1.90, readers can justify buying the magazine for the one section they are attracted to,' he says. 'The price and our subscription rate (pounds 12 for 12 issues) show how serious we are - we want to provide as few reasons not to buy the magazine as possible.'