prominent people
111 articles
Fred Mann
Frederick G. Mann hired me when I was a college kid in 1995 and changed the trajectory of my life. He passed away on February 13, 2026.
Richard Socher nailed the future of work with AI
Richard Socher identified the skills that matter in the AI era: delegate clearly, specify requirements, build trust. These are learnable skills, not job titles.
The Power Playbook: Decoding Leadership Dynamics in OpenAI’s Executive Announcement
Twelve power dynamics decoded from OpenAI's executive announcement, revealing how leaders control narratives, reinforce hierarchy, and manage organizational cha
RAPTOR: Recursive Thinking for Smarter AI Retrieval – The Executive Code Podcast
The Executive Code podcast explores Stanford's RAPTOR paper on recursive abstractive processing for smarter AI document retrieval and understanding.
Why Prompt Engineering Is Legitimate Engineering: A Case for the Skeptics
Prompt engineering meets every definition of legitimate engineering: systematic methods, measurable results, deep system understanding, and specialized knowledg
The New Pre-Nuclear Steel: Why Pre-AI Content Could Become Media’s Most Valuable Asset
Pre-AI content may become media's most valuable asset, like pre-nuclear low-background steel. Strategic imperatives for publishers in the generative AI era.
The Path to Superintelligent AI: Key Insights from Tim Urban’s Groundbreaking Analysis
Key insights from Tim Urban's Wait But Why analysis of AI superintelligence, covering the path from narrow AI to AGI to ASI and what it means for humanity.
Just the Good Stuff: No-BS Secrets to Success (No Matter What Life Throws at You)” by Jim VandeHei (Book Review)
A critical review of Jim VandeHei's leadership book through the lens of evidence-based management, comparing it to Jeffrey Pfeffer's standards.
The Frontier of AI: Reflections on my friend Richard Socher's Vision — The Man Who Invented Prompt Engineering on AI, AGI & Humanoids
Richard Socher discusses AI benchmarks, AGI, open-source models, agentic AI, and humanoid robots with Peter Diamandis and Salim Ismail.
Beyond Human Intelligence: Reflections on Consciousness, AI, and the Nature of Mind
Philosophical reflections on consciousness, AI, and the nature of mind -- exploring whether we need new frameworks for understanding non-human forms of intellig
The Tech Coup: A Crucial Wake-Up Call for the Digital Age
A review of The Tech Coup by Marietje Schaake, examining how tech companies undermine democracy and what governments and citizens must do to reclaim digital sov
A Conversation with Daniel Kahneman
What I learned from an hours-long conversation with Daniel Kahneman about the human brain, intuition, emotional intelligence, chess, and artificial intelligence
Yale CEO Summit June 2023: The Intersection of AI and Leadership
Key themes from the 2023 Yale CEO Summit on AI: regulation challenges, transparency, job displacement, and why AI should augment human judgment, not replace it.
The Poetic Power Play: A Lesson from Indian Poetry and Professor Jeff Pfeffer
Lessons on power dynamics from Dinkar's Hindi poetry and Stanford Professor Jeff Pfeffer's work: why virtues like forgiveness require strength to be respected.
Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change by Marc Benioff (Book Review)
A review of Trailblazer by Marc Benioff, exploring how Salesforce uses business as a platform for societal change through values-driven leadership.
Louise Story, CEO, President, Publisher & Board Member, Atlas Obscura
Louise Story, CEO of Atlas Obscura and former Chief News Strategist at the NYT and WSJ, says Rajiv Pant is respected and adored by all who know him.
William Lewis, Former CEO of Dow Jones & Publisher of The Wall Street Journal
William Lewis, CEO of Dow Jones and Publisher of the WSJ, calls Rajiv Pant an inspirational and transformative digital leader with deeply ethical leadership.
Matthew Murray, Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal
Matthew Murray, Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal, calls Rajiv Pant a transformational leader who rebuilt the WSJ's entire technology department.
Jennie Baird, Board Member, The Ethical Tech Project
Jennie Baird, SVP and Global Head of Product at News Corp, praises Rajiv Pant as a smart, well-loved colleague with genuine curiosity and generous leadership.
Kathryn Friedrich, EVP, GM of Operations at Conde Nast Entertainment
Kathryn Friedrich, former CMO at Thrive Global and EVP at Conde Nast Entertainment, praises Rajiv Pant's leadership through startup ambiguity and uncertainty.
Jason Patterson, Software Engineer at Instagram at Facebook
Jason Patterson, Distinguished Engineer at the WSJ, credits Rajiv Pant's OKR-driven leadership and team growth for winning a Webby Award for best news app.
Katharine Bailey, SVP, Product at The Wall Street Journal
Katharine Bailey, SVP of Product at the WSJ, nearly left for another job but stayed after meeting Rajiv Pant, calling him unlike any other leader she has worked
Jordan Sudy, VP, Goldman Sachs
Jordan Sudy, VP at Goldman Sachs, credits Rajiv Pant as a source of good whose leadership at the NYT and WSJ enabled award-winning career-making products.
Roben Kleene, Former iOS Engineering Manager at The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones
Roben Kleene, iOS Engineering Manager at the WSJ, praises Rajiv Pant's rare leadership gift of connecting with teams and providing the right balance of support.
Che Douglas, VP of Design at Booking.com
Che Douglas, SVP of Design at the WSJ, credits Rajiv Pant for building the first fused Product, Design, and Engineering department and winning a Webby Award.
Andy Nichol, Deputy CTO, Dow Jones and Company
Andy Nichol, Deputy CTO of Dow Jones, credits Rajiv Pant for driving a collaborative transformation at the WSJ that improved product stability and subscription
The Leadership Fairy Tale Problem: Why Most Leadership Advice Will Sabotage Your Career
A review of Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer's Leadership BS, examining five systemic flaws in mainstream leadership advice and why evidence-based approaches
Luke Vnenchak, VP of Engineering at BuzzFeed
Luke Vnenchak, Executive Director of Technology at the NYT, praises Rajiv Pant's ability to mentor and coach people at all levels while developing their careers
Denise Warren, Executive Vice President, The New York Times
Denise Warren, EVP at the NYT and CEO at Tribune Publishing, calls Rajiv Pant a highly sought-after CTO whose colleagues follow him from job to job.
Malu Menezes, Executive Director of Technology, The New York Times
Malu Menezes, Executive Director of Technology at the NYT, credits Rajiv Pant for modernizing the Times' technology organization faster than she thought possibl
Joe Adamo, VP, Digital Technology at Tribune Publishing Company
Joe Adamo, VP of Digital Technology at Tribune Publishing, praises Rajiv Pant as an inspiring leader who quickly resolves complex technical and organizational i
Megan Garvey, Deputy Managing Editor at Los Angeles Times
Megan Garvey, Deputy Managing Editor at the Los Angeles Times, praises Rajiv Pant for cutting through years of delayed requests and supporting newsroom ideas.
Paul Smurl, COO & President at Some Spider LLC
Paul Smurl, COO of Some Spider and former Head of Product at the NYT, recruited Rajiv Pant as CTO after five years together, calling him beloved by his teams.
Joe Simon, Chief Operating Officer at Encompass Digital Media, Inc.
Joe Simon, former CTO of Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant's deep technical expertise, team-building ability, and hands-on approach that remained as he progressed.
Rajit Gulati, Vice President, Enterprise Products Engineering at BlackBerry
Rajit Gulati, VP at BlackBerry, praises Rajiv Pant for giving teams all the credit, advancing individual careers, and providing calm under pressure at COXnet.
Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., President & Chief Executive Officer, Conde Nast
Bob Sauerberg, President and CEO of Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant a visionary tech leader, team player, and great communicator -- the full package.
Mark Thompson, President & Chief Executive Officer, The New York Times Company
Mark Thompson, President and CEO of The New York Times Company, calls Rajiv Pant a strong digital executive, talent magnet, and empathetic creative collaborator
Matthew Bischoff, Mobile Product and Engineering Lead
Matthew Bischoff, Senior iOS Engineer at the NYT, calls Rajiv Pant one of the few people he would trust to run his engineering organization.
Leon Shklar, Managing Director at BNY Mellon
Leon Shklar, VP of Technology at the NYT, credits Rajiv Pant for transforming the tech organization, attracting talent, and being a recognized force for good.
Robert Larson, Core News Product Manager at Bloomberg
Robert Larson, VP of Search Products at the NYT, credits Rajiv Pant's leadership for making the Times a more innovative and attractive workplace for engineers.
Esfand Pourmand, Program Director, The New York Times
Esfand Pourmand, Program Director at The New York Times, praises Rajiv Pant as more than a typical CTO, with deep agile knowledge and a hands-on approach.
Joy Goldberg, Director, Portfolio Management at The New York Times
Joy Goldberg, Director of Portfolio Management at the NYT, calls Rajiv Pant unique -- a cultural ambassador who invests in people regardless of hierarchy.
Erin Grau, Program Director, Web Products, The New York Times
Erin Grau, Program Director at The New York Times, praises Rajiv Pant for building an engineering culture where developers thrive, motivated and respected.
Rohn Jay Miller, Senior Vice President of Product and Technology at Knight Ridder Digital
Rohn Jay Miller, SVP of Product and Technology at Knight Ridder Digital, credits Rajiv Pant's leadership for a $20M platform serving 34 newspapers and 29 portal
Atif Azam, Product Designer, at MongoDB
Atif Azam, Product Designer at Some Spider, praises Rajiv Pant as a leader who empowers teams to do their best work with composure and clear decision-making.
Morgante Pell, Technical Entrepreneur
Morgante Pell, VP of Product Development at Some Spider, praises Rajiv Pant's graceful transition from NYT CTO to hands-on startup contributor with no ego.
Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr. Chairman & Publisher, The New York Times
Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr., Chairman and Publisher of The New York Times, thanks Rajiv Pant for his insight, talent recruitment, and collaborative spirit.
Leon Levitt, Vice President of Strategy, Cox Media Group
Leon Levitt, VP of Strategy at Cox Media Group, praises Rajiv Pant for building cohesive IT solutions across many stakeholders with strategic intelligence.
Brian Murphy, VP of Engineering at The New York Times
Brian Murphy, VP of Engineering at the NYT, followed Rajiv Pant between companies, praising his culture of collaboration and unparalleled kindness to coworkers.
Brad Kagawa, Vice President of Technology, Content Management Systems at The New York Times
Brad Kagawa, VP of Technology at the NYT, calls Rajiv Pant a different kind of CTO who builds engineering culture and elevates technology across the company.
Greg Felice, Director of EIT Strategy and Business Agility at Cablevision
Greg Felice, Director of Technology at the NYT, calls Rajiv Pant the rare leader who changed his mindset and raised his game to the next level through mentorshi
Ross Settles, Vice President of Marketing, Knight Ridder Digital
Ross Settles, VP of Marketing at Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant an invaluable strategic partner and forward-thinking technology leader at a critical ti
Chris Ladd, Senior Software Engineer at The New York Times
Chris Ladd, Senior Software Engineer at The New York Times, calls Rajiv Pant an executive who genuinely wants engineers to succeed in their own careers.
Bobby Chowdhury, Senior Director of Technology, Conde Nast
Bobby Chowdhury, Senior Director of Technology at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant as an avid technologist, people leader, mentor, and trusted good friend.
Al Ming, Senior Director of Product Architecture at The New York Times
Al Ming, Senior Director of Product Architecture at the NYT, praises Rajiv Pant's commitment to engineering culture and genuine investment in his engineers.
Brent Baisley, Technology Manager, Conde Nast
Brent Baisley, Technology Manager at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant one of the best leaders of his kind -- knowledgeable, ambitious, effective, and approachable.
Tony Landa, Associate Director of Technology, The Studio at Conde Nast
Tony Landa, Associate Director of Technology at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant one of the most trustworthy people in his career, a valued advisor and manager.
Tanya Steel, Editor-in-Chief of Epicurious and Gourmet.com, Conde Nast
Tanya Steel, Editor-in-Chief of Epicurious at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant a technology visionary who translates established brands into forward-thinking digita
Matt Stowe, Director of Technology, Conde Nast
Matt Stowe, Director of Technology at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant a compassionate leader who embraces new technologies and helps each person grow and achieve.
Ladell Fuqua, Director of Consumer Marketing, Conde Nast
Ladell Fuqua, Director of Consumer Marketing at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant one of the most talented leaders he knows, building skillful dedicated teams.
Paul Robbins, Senior Product Manager, The New York Times
Paul Robbins, Senior Product Manager at The New York Times, praises Rajiv Pant's passion for people and proactive investment in professional development.
Eliot Pierce, Vice President of Strategy, Business Development and Ad Operations, The New York Times
Eliot Pierce, VP of Strategy and Business Development at the NYT, praises Rajiv Pant's attention to detail and calm demeanor that gets things done.
Terry Schwadron, Editor of Information and Technology, The New York Times
Terry Schwadron, Editor of Information and Technology at the NYT, praises Rajiv Pant's practical advice and ability to turn organizational wishes into reality.
Jonathan Landman, Deputy Managing Editor, The New York Times
Jonathan Landman, Deputy Managing Editor at The New York Times, praises Rajiv Pant as a strong creative force who is also an excellent listener.
Ashwin Singh, Quality Assurance Manager, The New York Times
Ashwin Singh, QA Manager at The New York Times, calls Rajiv Pant an insightful leader who combines deep tech understanding with the ability to inspire teams.
Omar Rios, Program Director, Savvis
Omar Rios, Program Director at Savvis, calls Rajiv Pant a great leader who is self-aware, empathetic, and socially skilled beyond the typical good leader.
Ken Fisher, Editor-in-Chief and Founder, Ars Technica
Ken Fisher, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Ars Technica, praises Rajiv Pant for making critical progress upgrading disparate systems at Conde Nast.
Land du Pont, Executive Director, Product Management, Conde Nast
Land du Pont, Executive Director of Product Management at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant as an effective manager who earns strong loyalty from his teams.
Richard Ullrich, Program Director at Savvis
Richard Ullrich, Program Director at Savvis, praises Rajiv Pant's open-door policy, calming demeanor, and clear direction on Conde Nast technology projects.
Bane Hunter, Executive Director, Project Management, Conde Nast
Bane Hunter, Executive Director of Project Management at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant a positive, optimistic epicenter of leadership and selfless sharing.
John Kulhawik, Consumer Marketing, Conde Nast
John Kulhawik, Executive Director of eCommerce at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant as an extremely capable technologist and strategic leader with team loyalty.
Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor at Stanford GSB, calls Rajiv Pant one of the most insightful and self-aware participants in his Leadership and Power class.
Melanie Colton, Senior Manager, Technology Conde Nast
Melanie Colton, Senior Manager of Technology at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant's blend of executive management skill and technical expertise as a champion of in
Sarah Chubb Sauvayre, President, Conde Nast Digital
Sarah Chubb Sauvayre, President of Conde Nast Digital, calls hiring Rajiv Pant a pivotal moment whose creativity and intelligence drove key successes.
Janet Kasdan, Director of Technology, Conde Nast Digital
Janet Kasdan, Director of Technology at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant an excellent leader who leads by example with deep technical knowledge and genuine respect.
Jessica Perry, Vice President, Product Planning/Management, Conde Nast Digital
Jessica Perry, VP of Product at Conde Nast Digital, praises Rajiv Pant as a strategic thinker who translates technology for non-tech audiences effectively.
Susan Kaplow, Executive Editor, Syndication and Web Development, Conde Nast
Susan Kaplow, Executive Editor at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant's gift for explaining technology to editors without patronizing and driving editorial innovatio
Joe Danyliw, Tech Manager, Conde Nast Publications
Joe Danyliw, Technology Manager at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant as an executive who makes tough decisions and saved jobs through savvy contract renegotiations
Spencer Portee, Software Architect/Tech Lead, Conde Nast
Spencer Portee, Software Architect at Conde Nast, calls Rajiv Pant a true technology leader who gets his hands dirty alongside his team through every crisis.
Oscar Sumano, Associate Director, Technology Operations, Conde Nast
Oscar Sumano, Associate Director of Technology Operations at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant's open-minded approach and the creative freedom he provides.
John Reetz, General Manager of COXnet, Cox Newspapers
John Reetz, GM of COXnet at Cox Newspapers, praises Rajiv Pant as a skilled technologist and creative thinker who delivers projects through team collaboration.
Kiran Patel, Web Application Developer, Conde Nast
Kiran Patel, Web Application Developer at Conde Nast, praises Rajiv Pant's tremendous vision for emerging technologies and his mentorship as a direct manager.
Mark Cox, Head of Technology Operations at COXnet
Mark Cox, Head of Technology Operations at COXnet, calls Rajiv Pant a passionate, driven leader with unmatched technological awareness who supports careers.
Ted Nadeau, SVP, General Manager, CondeNet, Conde Nast
Ted Nadeau, SVP and GM at Conde Nast Digital, praises Rajiv Pant's technical competence, business savvy, and dedication to mentoring his team and managers.
Hyde Post, Vice President, Internet, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (a Cox company)
Hyde Post, VP of Internet at Atlanta Journal-Constitution, praises Rajiv Pant's collaborative leadership and talent for translating complexity clearly.
Nathan Tableman, Senior Manager of Web Hosting and Infrastructure, Conde Nast Digital
Nathan Tableman, Senior Manager at Conde Nast Digital, calls Rajiv Pant a boss worth working for who blends deep tech knowledge with leadership and growth.
Supriya Saha, Software Engineering Team Lead, Cox Newspapers
Supriya Saha, Engineering Team Lead at COXnet, calls Rajiv Pant the best technical leader he has worked with, always current on the latest technologies.
Benjamin Sun, Chief Engineering Architect, Knight Ridder Digital
Benjamin Sun, Chief Engineering Architect at Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant one of the best managers he ever had, fostering creative collaboration.
Wayne Weber, Senior Software Engineer, McClatchy Interactive
Wayne Weber, Senior Software Engineer at McClatchy Interactive, praises Rajiv Pant's mastery of emerging technologies and his ability to inspire teams.
Shantanu Muni, Account Manager, Datamatics Consultants
Shantanu Muni, Account Manager at Datamatics Consultants, calls Rajiv Pant a "Man of Solutions" with an unmatched knack for handling any challenge.
Viv Neti, Vice President of Operations at Bamboo Ad Network
Viv Neti, VP of Operations at Bamboo Ad Network, calls Rajiv Pant one of the best managers he has had -- intelligent and creatively problem-solving.
Valerie Nozick, Product Development Director, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cox
Valerie Nozick, Product Development Director at Atlanta Journal-Constitution, praises Rajiv Pant for turning around a distant IT group into a responsive team.
Karl Martino, Senior Software Engineer, Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital
Karl Martino, Senior Software Engineer at Philly.com, calls Rajiv Pant a visionary leader, mentor, and friend who builds business-changing systems.
Terry Chan, Principal Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Terry Chan, Principal Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, credits Rajiv Pant's strategy for launching a unified digital platform across 33+ newspapers.
Shannon Brown, Director of Product Management, Knight Ridder Digital
Shannon Brown, Director of Product Management at Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant a visionary technologist who wins support and motivates teams.
Mark Sun, Senior Director of Engineering, McClatchy Interactive
Mark Sun, Senior Director of Engineering at Knight Ridder Digital, praises Rajiv Pant as a resourceful manager who empowers staff to pursue innovative ideas.
Ben Mappen, Software Engineer, Knight Ridder Digital
Ben Mappen, Software Engineer at Knight Ridder Digital, credits Rajiv Pant as a mentor who helped him grow from intern to full-time engineer at KRD.
Chris Jennewein, COO, Knight Ridder Digital
Chris Jennewein, COO of Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant a visionary technologist who drove the early success of Philly.com and 20+ newspaper sites.
Tom Mohr, President, Knight Ridder Digital
Tom Mohr, President of Knight Ridder Digital, praises Rajiv Pant as bright, creative, and entrepreneurial with strong technical skills -- a powerful package.
Jennifer Musser-Metz, Senior Producer, Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital
Jennifer Musser-Metz, Senior Producer at Philly.com, praises Rajiv Pant as remarkably gifted, able to make the impossible possible across his KRD career.
Jodi Leese Glusco, Sports Editor, Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital
Jodi Leese Glusco, Sports Editor at Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant a brilliant programmer, tireless worker, and gentleman.
Fred Mann; former VP, National Programming and Regional VP, Knight Ridder Digital; GM, Philly.com
Fred Mann, VP at Knight Ridder Digital and GM of Philly.com, calls hiring Rajiv Pant the most important and successful hire in three decades of management.
Patrick Burke, Senior Manager of Product, Cox Media Group
Patrick Burke, Senior Manager of Product at Cox Media Group, praises Rajiv Pant's skill leading teams across 10+ stakeholders in a high-demand environment.
Shannon Kinney, Senior Director, Product Development, Knight Ridder Digital
Shannon Kinney, Senior Director of Product at Knight Ridder Digital, praises Rajiv Pant's ability to spot market trends and create innovative solutions.
Kim Marcille Romaner, General Manager of Miami.com, Knight Ridder Digital
Kim Marcille Romaner, GM of Miami.com at Knight Ridder Digital, credits Rajiv Pant as the creator of the Cofax platform powering the entire KR network.
Daniel Finnigan, President and CEO, Knight Ridder Digital
Dan Finnigan, President and CEO of Knight Ridder Digital, praises Rajiv Pant's resourcefulness, self-reliance, and creative passion for engineering.
Ches Wajda, Design Director, Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital
Ches Wajda, Design Director at Philly.com and Knight Ridder Digital, recalls Rajiv Pant's legendary status and his willing partnership on design updates.
Robin Palley, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Robin Palley, VP of Marketing at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, praises Rajiv Pant's rare blend of engineering skills and business acumen.
Ken Doctor, VP/Content Services, Knight Ridder Digital
Ken Doctor, VP of Content Services at Knight Ridder Digital, calls Rajiv Pant a pioneer, innovator, and collaborator with a full set of leadership tools.
Steve Rossi, President, Newspaper Division, Knight Ridder
Steve Rossi, President of Knight Ridder's Newspaper Division, recommends Rajiv Pant as an exceptional technologist, leader, and problem solver.
Tony Ridder, Chairman and CEO, Knight Ridder
Tony Ridder, Chairman and CEO of Knight Ridder, congratulates Rajiv Pant on winning his second James K. Batten Excellence Award for Technology Innovation.