Robert Thomson, chief executive, News Corp, in a candid leadership conversation with Bruce Aust, Vice Chairman of Nasdaq and President of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
Robert Thomson spent much of his professional life as a journalist covering companies and countries, and now he has the responsibility of overseeing one of the largest and most diverse media companies in the world. Robert sees commercial purpose and social relevance throughout his work and continues to keep news at the center of News Corp.
Hailing from Australia, Robert began his illustrious career as a copyboy for The Herald in Melbourne. After working as a correspondent in Beijing and Tokyo, he became foreign news editor of the Financial Times. He then was editor of the Weekend FT, which became the fastest growing newspaper in the UK under his leadership.
As editor of the US edition of the FT, Robert led the FT’s drive into the US market, trebling its readership. He also was editor of The Times of London, significantly expanding its readership in print and online.
Robert served as editor-in-chief of Dow Jones & Company and managing editor of The Wall Street Journal where he directed the global news operations with an international news staff of over 2,000 journalists in more than 80 bureaus worldwide.
In 2013, Robert became chief executive of News Corp. Safeguarding the social role of journalism, Robert advocates for real insight in the increasingly complex information age, where the competitor is no longer just mainstream mastheads, but also an aggregate of digital news aggregators. He’ll share why he believes that technology is powerful, but judgement is essential as he battles against what he calls the “digital duopoly” and fights to protect the provenance of content.
Learn how Robert successfully leads such a powerful portfolio of international media companies that span across news and information services, digital real estate services, book publishing, sports programming and pay-TV distribution. Despite News Corp’s size, hear how Robert encourages a start-up sensibility where responsible risk-taking and collaboration among many lines of business are strongly encouraged.
Bruce E. Aust, Vice Chairman, Nasdaq
Bruce E. Aust is Vice Chairman of Nasdaq. In this role, Mr. Aust works closely with Nasdaq’s Global Listing Services unit to assist clients and prospects worldwide. Mr. Aust also serves as President of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, located in San Francisco, and played an integral role in the creation and launch of the Center, which opened in 2015. The Entrepreneurial Center is a new non-profit organization funded by the Nasdaq Educational Foundation designed to engage emerging entrepreneurs through events, hands-on mentorship and education.
Previously, Mr. Aust served as Executive Vice President, Global Listing Services, a role in which he oversaw Nasdaq’s new listings and capital market business as well as global business development and relationship management with the companies listed on Nasdaq’s 16 listing markets worldwide.
Robert Thomson, Chief Executive, News Corp
Since 2013, Robert Thomson has been chief executive of News Corp, a global, diversified media and information services company that is home to Dow Jones & Company, The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, The Times and The Sunday Times of London, The Australian and Fox Sports Australia, HarperCollins Publishers, and Move, Inc., operator of realtor.com®, among other businesses.
From 2008, Mr. Thomson served as editor-in-chief of Dow Jones and managing editor of the Journal. Previously, he was editor of The Timesand held several posts at the Financial Times. He began his career in journalism as a copyboy at The Herald in Melbourne in 1979, and also worked at the Sydney Morning Herald.
A native of Torrumbarry, Australia, Mr. Thomson is the author and editor of several books, and in 2014 he was inducted into the Melbourne Press Club’s Media Hall of Fame.
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