Justin B. Smith

Justin B. Smith
Born	(1969-08-13) August 13, 1969 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Media executive
Years active	1991–present
Known for	Co-founder of Semafor, CEO of Bloomberg Media Group

Justin B. Smith (born August 13, 1969) is a prominent American media leader and co-founder of Semafor, an international news platform launched in 2022. He previously held the position of CEO at Bloomberg Media Group. His earlier career includes roles at Atlantic Media, The Week magazine, and The Economist.

Career

Smith’s professional journey began in 1991 at the Department of State, where he was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Subsequently, he joined the International Herald Tribune, contributing to its conference division in both Paris and Hong Kong. He later advanced to lead corporate strategy at The Economist, working across offices in London, Hong Kong, and New York City.

In 2001, Smith became part of The Week, playing a key role in launching its U.S. edition and ascending to president by 2005. By 2006, the publication had amassed over 443,000 subscribers in the United States. During this period, he earned a spot on AdAge’s “40 Under 40” list.

Joining The Atlantic in 2007 as president of Atlantic Consumer Media, Smith was later promoted to president of Atlantic Media Company, managing properties such as National Journal and Government Executive. Under his management, The Atlantic became profitable for the first time in decades, generating $1.8 million in earnings by 2010. He led digital growth initiatives including the launch of The Atlantic Wire (currently The Wire), which attracted nearly one million monthly visitors within its first year.

In 2012, Smith established Quartz, a global business news outlet under Atlantic Media’s umbrella. The company also introduced Defense One in 2013 to focus on national security topics. That same year, after doubling revenue and creating successful digital products, Smith departed from Atlantic Media.

In 2010, Smith and publisher Jay Lauf were honored as Ad Age Publishing Executives of the Year; additionally, The Atlantic secured second place on Ad Age’s A-list for magazines.

Smith is also the founder of Breaking Media, a collection of niche websites including Above the Law, Dealbreaker, and Fashionista.

Bloomberg

In July 2013, Justin Smith was named CEO of Bloomberg Media Group by Bloomberg LP, where he oversaw operations including Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg Businessweek, and global digital platforms. Reporting directly to CEO Dan Doctoroff, Smith concentrated on enhancing Bloomberg’s digital footprint and video content investments.

By April 2014, he had brought on board seasoned journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann to launch a Bloomberg website dedicated to American political affairs and policy analysis.

Smith resigned as CEO in January 2022 to co-found Semafor alongside former New York Times journalist Ben Smith.

Personal life

Born on August 13, 1969, in Hartford, Connecticut, Smith grew up in Paris and attended École Internationale Bilingue before continuing his education in Massachusetts at Fessenden School and Phillips Andover Academy. He earned his degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1991. Smith serves on Georgetown’s Board of Directors and holds lifetime membership with the Council on Foreign Relations. He founded both the Bali Purnati Center for the Arts and the Ouagadougou Education project. Recognized as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute in 2013, he joined the board of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in 2014.

Smith maintains residences in Washington, D.C., and New York City.