Robert Safian

Robert Safian Profile

Journalist and digital pioneer, Robert Safian built Fast Company into one of the most trusted sources for what’s next to come. As former editor-and-chief of the award-winning monthly publication, he seeks out business trends and innovators, identifying and profiling the next breakthrough leaders, companies, and products before they go mainstream. While Fast Company showcases the latest in technology, business, and design, Safian also aims to inspire “a new breed of innovative and creative thought leaders who are actively inventing the future of business” as well as the way we live and work.

Uncannily gifted at finding “the next big thing,” Safian published the first cover story about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, when the company was just three-years-old and still relatively unknown. Under his watch, Fast Company has also been one of the first major media outlets to run features on Uber, Airbnb, and Netflix before they exploded into mainstream culture.

His latest projects include The Flux Group, an advisory firm that is driving awareness of new business practices to both individual companies and mass-market audiences; The Flux Network, a special invitation-only community of leading thinkers, creative collaborators and idea generators; and a highly-anticipated forthcoming book on the reinvention of business that is identifying how leaders at all levels can best adapt and thrive in today’s high-flux environments and turn disruption to their advantage.

Prior to joining Fast Company, Safian spurred growth and buzz at Fortune, Time, and Money. When he took the reigns at Money, the publication was in a financial slump, plagued by dwindling readership. Safian’s leadership and editorial savvy revitalized the magazine, increasing ad pages by 7% and revenue by 13.5% in two years.

As part of his commitment to inspiring positive change, Safian organizes and hosts the Fast Company Innovation Festival as well as several live events that feature interviews with the most creative minds working today in technology, healthcare, fashion, Hollywood, and other influential sectors.

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  Robert Safian is one of the most sought after speakers, moderators and interviewers in modern business. From leadership positions at Fast Company, Time, Fortune and Money, to incisive analysis across multiple TV networks, podcasts and digital platforms, Safian has been lauded as an unparalleled source of insight on the future of global enterprise. He is not only among the most acclaimed publishing executives in history but has deep relationships across the C-suite in multiple industries, accessing the cutting-edge developments that are reshaping our world.

  For decades Safian has chronicled thousands of odds-defying organizations and leaders, uncovering their secrets of success. He synthesizes their lessons into eye-opening and thoroughly entertaining presentations filled with compelling storytelling. He is warm and approachable, and an expert at working with event organizers to personalize his presentations for each audience. Whether assessing a startup in Detroit, the tech scene in Palo Alto or an iconoclast in Shanghai, Safian is constantly translating what is next and new to the mainstream. By presenting stories of the people behind innovative business thinking, he provides hope to millions of talented professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders that meaningful change is possible.

  Safian has been propelled by a reputation for near-clairvoyant prediction. He was the first editor to put Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg on a magazine cover and covered Airbnb, Netflix and Uber long before they were household names. For nearly twelve years he led the influential, award-winning business magazine Fast Company, turning it into the world’s leading progressive business media brand. He was named Editor of the Year by Adweek, and earned the highly coveted National Magazine Award for Magazine of the Year in 2014, beating out rivals including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine and more.

  Prior to Fast Company, Safian was the executive editor for Time and Fortune and headed Money as its chief editor for six years. He is a frequent guest on CBS, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and other TV networks.

  His latest projects include The Flux Group, an advisory firm that is driving awareness of new business practices to both individual companies and mass-market audiences; The Flux Network, a special invitation-only community of leading thinkers, creative collaborators and idea generators; and a highly-anticipated forthcoming book on the reinvention of business that is identifying how leaders at all levels can best adapt and thrive in today’s high-flux environments and turn disruption to their advantage.

  Safian has also built a reputation as one of today’s top interviewers, conducting onstage dialogues with many of the world’s most intriguing leaders including the CEOs of Starbucks, Nike, Target, Ford, Pepsico, Pixar, Walmart.com, Chobani, Under Armour, J Crew, Soulcycle, Casper, Pinterest, Warby Parker and more, plus celebrities including Kate Hudson, Serena Williams, Chelsea Clinton, Princess Reema Bint Bandar of Saudi Arabia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jordan Spieth, Jared Leto, Alicia Keys and more. He has been a keynote presenter at events ranging from SxSW Interactive to the United Nation’s Global Accelerators Council, the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show” to the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, HSM Brazil to The World Congress on Intelligent Transport.

  In addition to all of Safian’s wide experiences, pool of knowledge, and deft storytelling skills, he is also warm, approachable, and an expert at working with event organizers to personalize his presentations for each audience.