robert thomson

Robert Thomson is an Australian journalist and the Chief Executive Officer of News Corp, a global media company headquartered in New York. He has held this position since January 2013, overseeing a diverse portfolio that includes major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Times, and The Sun.

Early Life and Education

Born on March 11, 1961, in Torrumbarry, Victoria, Australia, Thomson attended Christian Brothers College in St Kilda and later studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), where he received an honorary doctorate in communication and journalism. His career in journalism began at the age of 17 when he worked as a copyboy at The Herald in Melbourne.124

Career Trajectory

Thomson's career spans several prominent roles in journalism:

• Financial Times: He served as a correspondent in Beijing and Tokyo before becoming the Foreign News Editor and later the U.S. Managing Editor.
• The Times: From 2002 to 2008, he was the first non-British editor of this prestigious newspaper.
• The Wall Street Journal: He was appointed Managing Editor in 2008 and held this role until he transitioned to CEO of News Corp in 2013.

Throughout his career, Thomson has been recognized for his critical stance on issues affecting journalism, particularly concerning the impact of technology on media. He has voiced concerns about the unauthorized use of journalistic content by generative AI and has advocated for fair compensation for media companies from tech firms.235

Personal Life

Thomson is married to Wang Ping, who is the daughter of a general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. His family background includes Italian ancestry, tracing back to an ancestor named Arturo Dell'Oro from northern Italy.24

In summary, Robert Thomson is a significant figure in contemporary journalism, noted for his leadership at News Corp and his advocacy for the rights of media companies in the digital age.