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Georg Petschnigg

SVP and Head of Product Design at The New York Times

Georg Petschnigg is a prominent figure in the tech and design industry, currently serving as the SVP and Head of Product Design at The New York Times.3 He joined The New York Times in January 2021, bringing with him a wealth of experience in product development, innovation, and entrepreneurship.1

Career Highlights

FiftyThree and WeTransfer: Prior to his role at The New York Times, Petschnigg co-founded FiftyThree, a company known for creating innovative design tools.2 As CEO, he oversaw the development of popular products such as:

  • Paper: A celebrated sketching app
  • Paste: A collaboration tool for teams
  • Pencil: An award-winning digital stylus

FiftyThree was acquired by WeTransfer in 2018, where Petschnigg then served as Chief Innovation Officer and General Manager for the Americas.23

Microsoft: Before founding FiftyThree, Petschnigg had a significant tenure at Microsoft, where he:

  • Co-founded Pioneer Studios, a design venture fund within Microsoft
  • Led the incubation of new mobile devices, including the foldable tablet Courier
  • Worked on the first online version of Office
  • Developed the new graphic system for PowerPoint, Word, and Excel23

Education and Expertise

Petschnigg holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering and Economics from Columbia University and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Product Design from Stanford University.2 His expertise lies at the intersection of design, technology, and business, with a strong belief that technology should serve the human need to create.24

Philosophy and Approach

At The New York Times, Petschnigg is responsible for creating products and journalism experiences that help people understand and engage with the world.2 He emphasizes the importance of design in shaping how news works in people's lives and is committed to supporting The New York Times's mission of helping readers understand the world.1

Throughout his career, Petschnigg has been recognized for his contributions to design excellence and innovation, receiving awards from prestigious organizations such as Apple, IDSA, and IxDA.23

Highlights

Georg Petschnigg: Product design and storytelling at The New York ...
Georg Petschnigg: Product design and storytelling at The New York ...
Oct 21 · GeekWire
Despite hardware upgrades, Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo 2 still suffers from split personality - GeekWire
Mar 28 · GeekWire
Cargo ship stuck in Suez Canal shows up in a ‘Microsoft Flight Simulator’ fly-by - GeekWire
Jan 8 · nytco.com
Georg Petschnigg Joins The Times as Head of Product Design
Georg Petschnigg Joins The Times as Head of Product Design

Related Questions

What are some of the key projects Georg Petschnigg has led at The New York Times?
How did Georg Petschnigg's experience at WeTransfer influence his approach at The New York Times?
What challenges has Georg Petschnigg faced in his role at The New York Times?
How has Georg Petschnigg's background in engineering shaped his product design philosophy?
What are some of the innovative products Georg Petschnigg has developed at FiftyThree?
Georg Petschnigg
Georg Petschnigg, photo 1
Georg Petschnigg, photo 2
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Experience

SVP and Head of Product Design at The New York Times since January 2021
General Manager and Chief Innovation Officer at WeTransfer, CEO & Co-Founder of FiftyThree, Inc., Co-Founder of Pioneer Studios at Microsoft

Education

MSEE in Computer Graphics and Product Design from Stanford University (2001-2003), BS in Computer Engineering and Economics from Columbia University (1996-2000)

Location

New York, New York, United States