Saul Hansell

Business & Technology Communications. Former New York Times, Huffington Post, Institutional Investor. Contributor to Trellis.

Montclair, New Jersey, United States

About

As an award-winning journalist at the New York Times, as a business leader at AOL, as a startup founder and consultant, I’ve been driven by fearless curiosity and passion for making sense of how technology and innovation are changing our world. I ask questions until I understand how things work. I separate what’s significant from what’s just noise. I find the most engaging way to communicate what I’ve discovered. And I build media businesses that help others understand the world. Along the way, I’ve built deep knowledge about and contacts in finance, media, marketing, and technology. And I’ve developed skills in journalism, marketing, product management, communications, team building, business operations, and leadership. As a business and technology journalist, I broke news, covered beats, wrote features, assigned stories, edited copy, and developed new publications, all in the most competitive markets, about the most complex subjects, while constantly innovating the form of storytelling. In the digital media business, I devised new media formats to produce compelling content with sustainable business models. I’ve built and managed teams, collaborating with product, engineering, marketing, and sales organizations. And I’ve led marketing and investor relations communications, behind the scenes–developing strategy, events, and written materials as well as in the public eye through public speaking, media interviews, blogging, and social media. My consulting practice helps clients with communications, content strategy, market evaluation, product development, and investor relations. Much of this work starts with deep reporting on an organization’s capabilities, people, technology, and ideas to identify its unique strengths, compelling stories, and most lucrative opportunities.

Experience

  • Business & Technology Communications at Independent
    2014 - Present · 12 yrs 7 mos

    Cutting through the cacophony for organizations with something to say. Demonstrating their innovations, articulating their vision, portraying their personality, advocating their agenda, praising their products. Specializing in simplifying complexity in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, sustainability, cryptocurrency, healthcare, regulation, investment management, insurance, digital media, enterprise software, and education. ■ Content Strategy: What to say. What it should sound like. How to say it. Who to say it to. Where to reach them. How to get their attention. ■ Idea Generation: Finding what’s unique and interesting in an organization’s people, technologies, and data. Framing the narrative. Creating the voice. Defining the format. ■ Writing: Clear, creative, concise, compelling. For byline articles, interviews, case studies, press releases, websites, white papers, infographics, emails, and tweets. ■ Data: Discovering, analyzing, and presenting data to distill insights. Designing, executing, and interpreting survey research to create fresh and lively articles, infographics, and reports. ■ Investor Relations: Illuminating the opportunity, the team, the numbers, and the story. Business plans. Cryptocurrency white papers. ■ Editing: Shaping insights of executives into powerful prose. Mentoring younger writers. Ensuring consistency and quality. ■ Distribution: Using art and science to engage audiences through search, social media, and the timeless appeal of a fascinating story.

  • Content strategy and sustainability writing at Trellis Group
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 10 mos

    ■ Content strategy for data-based reporting on business sustainability. ■ Wrote report on corporate action on biodiversity. Designed and analyzed survey of business leaders for it. ■ Profiled sustainability and biodiversity initiatives at major companies, including Fannie Mae, Syngenta, and General Mills.

  • Startup Advisor at Various Companies
    2014 - Present · 12 yrs 7 mos

    Advising growing companies on content, strategy, fundraising, business development, product design, marketing, and public relations. Companies include: Citia (mobile publishing), Curacity (travel), and Sqoop (media relations platform).

  • Co-Founder & Chief Content Officer at ESG Media Labs
    Apr 2022 - Jan 2024 · 1 yr 10 mos

    Developed and executed plan in conjunction with an investment firm to build a professional information service about sustainable business and ESG investing. Identified acquisition targets, conducted market research, recruited potential hires. The transaction was ultimately not consummated.

  • CEO and Founder at Sii.TV
    2012 - 2014 · 2 yrs

    ■ Founded startup for interactive video newscasts on mobile devices and connected TV. ■ Recruited and led team of engineers, designers, producers, and video journalists. ■ Formed partnerships for content, distribution, and monetization. ■ Built awareness and investor support through social media, press interviews, private meetings, and public speeches.