Big guy’s got plans for Maxim, including a familiar face

In the never-ending Maxim saga, one-time President Joe Mangione is said to be back consulting with new owner Sardar Biglari, the Iranian-born millionaire who took over the title in February.

Biglari Holdings has been trying to diversify its base beyond its extensive holdings in the restaurant world, where it counts the Steak ’n Shake chain as one of its biggest holdings. The Maxim deal appears to fit into that formula. But little else is clear on the direction the secretive mogul wishes to take the newly acquired property.

The 36-year-old investor has had a bumpy introduction to the publishing world and is now operating the magazine largely without senior-level executives on the editorial and business side. But late Tuesday news surfaced that he had raided Details magazine to hire Kevin Martinez as publisher.

But sources say he is pumping money into enlarging the magazine’s format and printing it on more expensive paper.

Ben Madden, the most recent president, said he resigned shortly after Biglari’s takeover, but fulfilled his 90-day contract obligation and only officially departed at the end of June.

Editor-in-Chief Dan Bova also resigned shortly after Biglari’s arrival.

Creative Director Paul Martinez is the highest-ranking editorial person remaining at the magazine.

One staffer who resigned told Media Ink that “Biglari has been acting like the editor, even though he doesn’t know anything about publishing.”