She won a Matrix Award for Women in Communication in 2013 (where she was introduced by Florida Congresswoman Val Demings), and was named an Editor of the Year by Adweek.

Born in the United Kingdom, Coles graduated from the University of East Anglia with a bachelor of arts in English and American literature before starting her career at The Spectator.

In 2006, she joined Hearst as editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine, then Cosmopolitan (2012–2016), before becoming the company's chief content officer in 2016.

She is an executive producer for The Bold Type, a scripted series airing on Freeform (formerly known as ABC Family) and Hulu.

She is the author of Love Rules[2], published by HarperCollins; the book was optioned for TV by ABC Signature and FX.

[4] She attended Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley, the University of East Anglia and graduated with a degree in English and American Literature.

Under her leadership, the magazine produced its most successful issue in September 2012, while also launching two extensions (Marie Claire@Work,[5] and the Women on Top Awards[6]).

She described her responsibility as CCO as “thinking the way we produce content.”[7] In 2018, after 12 years at Hearst, she exited the company after being passed over for the title of president of the magazine division.

Coles' first TV project launched when she arrived at Hearst as editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, where she co-created and executive produced Running in Heels, a reality show that followed three interns working at the magazine.

In the announcement, it was said that "under the pact, the former CCO will be developing and executive producing projects for multiple platforms with focus on streaming and cable.