KENNETH BRONFIN
Kenneth A. Bronfin is one of the key forces behind Hearst Corporation's transformation from traditional media company to interactive media leader.
Bronfin is senior managing director of Hearst Ventures, a team that makes strategic investments in companies operating at the intersection of media and technology. He sits on the boards of several Hearst Ventures’ portfolio companies.
According to Bronfin, Hearst’s interactive philosophy is unique among traditional media companies in that Hearst is building a large portfolio of businesses that leverage the rich media resources of Hearst and each other. “Hearst is much more than a financial investor. We are a partner with many of these portfolio companies—working with them on promotion, sales and development,” he says. “They find big value in integrating their new media assets with Hearst’s media properties and find strength in the fact that Hearst will be there with them as a partner and backer, independent of the variations inherent in the Internet public equity market.”
Bronfin's education and career experience in technology made him a natural choice to lead Hearst Corporation into the world of electronic media. He joined Hearst Corporation in June 1996. Prior to joining Hearst, he was with NBC, as a founder of the Interactive Media Group as well as general manager of NBC’s digital television group and vice president of NBC Cable and Business Development. Bronfin was also head of business development for NBC Technology and was director of NBC's Broadcast Engineering Group, which was responsible for the research and development associated with NBC’s technical infrastructure. He joined NBC as part of its Management Associate Program.
Bronfin holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA in management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds patents in the field of television technology.