Dan Rosensweig
Dan Rosensweig | |
|---|---|
| Born | United States |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | Chairman and former CEO of Chegg; former COO of Yahoo!; president and CEO of Guitar Hero; president of CNET; president and CEO of ZDNet |
Dan Rosensweig is a prominent American business leader, currently serving as chairman and formerly the CEO of the student services firm Chegg. His past roles include president and CEO of Guitar Hero, chief operating officer at Yahoo!, president of CNET, and president and CEO of ZDNet.
Career
Following his college education, Rosensweig started his career at Dictaphone, then under Pitney Bowes, where he sold word processors directly to customers in Manhattan. This role ended when his division was eliminated during company-wide layoffs.
In 1983, he joined Ziff Davis as a cold caller marketing magazines to computer retailers. He progressed through positions in circulation and advertising sales, ultimately becoming associate publisher of PC Magazine. During his tenure, the publication achieved leading status in both readership and revenue.
By 1996, Rosensweig initiated several Internet-focused print publications for Ziff Davis, including a licensed version of Yahoo! Internet Life. He was appointed president and CEO of Ziff Davis’ Internet division, ZiffNet (currently ZDNet), by 1998. In this capacity, he took the company public and orchestrated its 2001 acquisition by CNET. He was instrumental in facilitating the merger and pioneered new online advertising models.
Rosensweig served as COO at Yahoo! from 2002 to 2006, managing worldwide operations and implementing a mentorship initiative.
In 2007, he became a partner at the private equity firm Quadrangle Group, where he established its Silicon Valley office.
He assumed the role of president and CEO at Guitar Hero in March 2009, overseeing releases such as Band Hero and DJ Hero.
Joining Chegg as president and CEO in February 2010, Rosensweig guided the company’s growth through strategic acquisitions and led its initial public offering in 2013. Under his direction, Chegg evolved from a textbook rental business into an extensive platform offering diverse student services. In June 2024, he stepped down as CEO, with Nathan Schultz succeeding him.
Rosensweig is a strong proponent of mentoring programs and workplace diversity. He also invests in Silicon Valley ventures like Rent The Runway and Reputation.com.
Personal life
Rosensweig is of Jewish heritage and was raised in the same New York neighborhood as Mark Zuckerberg. He is married to Linda and they have two daughters.
Boards
He contributes to the advisory board of nonprofit organization DonorsChoose.org and has held the position of Executive in Residence for The Media and Technology Program at Columbia University. His board memberships include roles at Adobe, Inc., VOX Media, Katalyst Media, Fender, and OZY Media.
Additionally, Rosensweig serves on the board of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where the Rosensweig Learning Commons bears his name, and holds emeritus trustee status at Colgate University. He is also involved with the Boys and Girls Club.