Bill Hankes

Chief Communications Officer. Consultant specializing in crisis and financial communications, and AI. Former CCO at Forbes; Technology and public company communications leader at Microsoft, and others.

Bill Hankes is a seasoned communications executive with extensive experience in the technology and media industries. He is currently working as a Communications Consultant at Hankes Communications, his own consultancy.2

Career Highlights

Hankes has held several notable positions throughout his career:

Chief Communications Officer at Forbes: He served in this role until the end of 2023, overseeing the company's integrated global corporate communications strategy.1 5
Entrepreneur: In 2013, Hankes founded Sqoop, an online platform for journalists to research aggregated public data in one place.1
Public Relations Experience: He has worked in PR roles for various companies, including startups and major corporations such as Microsoft's Bing, RealNetworks, AT&T's Sterling Commerce, and Perkins Coie law firm.1

Expertise and Focus

Hankes specializes in:

Crisis communications
Financial communications
Artificial Intelligence (AI) communications5

Education and Early Career

Bill Hankes attended Missouri Military Academy, which he credits as a transformative experience that set him on the path to success. He later earned a degree in communications from Florida Southern College.1 2

Current Projects

Hankes is the author of an upcoming book titled "Rules of Engagement: What to Do When Your Company is Under Fire," which likely draws from his extensive experience in crisis communications.3

Personal Brand

Known for his strategic approach to communications, Hankes has built a reputation as a thought leader in the industry. His experience leading communications for publicly traded companies and his entrepreneurial background in journalism technology have positioned him as a valuable consultant in the field.1 4