Nicholas Thompson (born 1975) is an American journalist, author, and media executive, currently serving as the CEO of The Atlantic. Known for his editorial expertise, Thompson has held prominent roles including editor-in-chief of Wired and editor of The New Yorker’s website, where he pioneered digital paywalls and helped increase subscriptions dramatically. He is also the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War.
Quick Facts of Nicholas Thompson
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nicholas Thompson |
| Date of Birth | 1975 |
| Age | 50 |
| Education | Stanford University (Phi Beta Kappa) |
| Occupation | Journalist, Author, Media Executive |
| Years Active | 1999–present |
| Current Role | CEO of The Atlantic |
| Notable Past Roles | Editor-in-Chief of Wired, Editor of The New Yorker website |
| Website | nickthompson.com |
| Family | Married with sons; wife is a dance professor |
| Athletic Achievements | Set American record in the 50k for men 45–49 in 2021 |
Early Life and Education
Thompson grew up in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, attending Phillips Academy, Andover. He later enrolled at Stanford University, where he wrote for the Stanford Daily and founded a student newspaper, The Thinker.
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1997 with degrees in Earth Systems, Political Science, and Economics, and in 1996 received a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, emphasizing his interest in connecting environmentalists with business leaders.
Early Career and Journalism Beginnings
After college, Thompson briefly worked at CBS as an associate producer but was fired on his first day. He then traveled to Africa, where he was kidnapped in Morocco, an experience that led to his first professional story, “Continental Drift,” published in The Washington Post.
Thompson worked as a freelance journalist, a street musician in New York, and briefly at Penguin Computing before returning to journalism as an editor at Washington Monthly in 1999. There, he exposed fraud in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings. He also held editorial roles at Legal Affairs.
Wired and The New Yorker
In 2005, Thompson joined Wired as a senior editor, overseeing high-profile stories like “The Great Escape”, which inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo, and “Vanish”, an interactive digital manhunt. He co-founded Atavist, a multimedia magazine and software company later sold to Automattic.
In 2010, Thompson became a senior editor at The New Yorker, eventually leading Newyorker.com from 2012 to 2017. Under his leadership, monthly readers increased sevenfold, and he launched a metered paywall and a mobile app.
Return to Wired and Editorial Leadership
Thompson returned to Wired in 2017 as editor-in-chief, guiding the magazine through a successful digital subscription model and modernizing its editorial approach. He oversaw award-winning investigative pieces, including the 2018 cover story “Inside the Two Years that Shook Facebook—and the World”, praised as an exemplar of long-form journalism.
CEO of The Atlantic
In February 2021, Thompson became CEO of The Atlantic, leading the publication to record subscriber growth and profitability. Under his tenure, The Atlantic won three National Magazine Awards, three Pulitzer Prizes, and was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday.
Writing and Authorship
Thompson authored The Hawk and the Dove (2009), a biography of Paul Nitze and George Kennan, blending Cold War history with personal family connections. His journalism has spanned topics from Facebook scandals to AI, running, and human-interest stories, including his viral coverage of an unidentified hiker known as “Mostly Harmless.”
Running Achievements
Thompson is an accomplished runner, setting the American record in the 50k for men aged 45–49 in April 2021 with a time of 3:04:36. He attributes his success to variations in training and embracing new challenges.
Personal Life
Thompson is married and has sons. His wife is a dance professor at The New School in New York. While private about his family, he actively shares insights about technology, media, and innovation on social media, reaching nearly two million followers.
Legacy and Impact
Nicholas Thompson has significantly influenced digital journalism, demonstrating how traditional publications can thrive in the internet era. He is known for combining editorial rigor with technological innovation, shaping both Wired and The Atlantic into modern, award-winning media outlets.
