Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson is an author, editor and entrepreneur best known for his work in the realm of technology and culture. His most popular book is The Long Tail, which explores the way products are sold beyond traditional retail models. Anderson has been a leading figure in technology journalism, serving as editor-in-chief of Wired magazine from 2001 to 2012. He is also the creator and curator of TED, an influential conference that features talks from experts in many fields.

Anderson grew up in England and was always interested in technology and its potential effects on culture. After studying at Oxford, he worked at a newspaper as a business and technology writer. He soon moved to the United States, where he became a freelance author, producing magazine articles and nonfiction books about topics like robotics, nanotechnology, and online audiences.

His big break came in the form of The Long Tail, published in 2006. It discussed the economics of selling products beyond traditional retail models and focused on the rise of digital tools and services that enabled new business models. Throughout the book, Anderson explored how digital media is changing the relationship between consumers, producers, and distributors and proposed that the old media models of centrally-controlled distribution are quickly being replaced by an open, networked model of decentralized production, distribution, and consumption.

Following The Long Tail's success, Anderson co-authored the book Free: The Future of a Radical Price, which further sensitized readers to the economic implications of the digitization of content. In this book, he discussed how digital services that offer their services for free can disrupt traditional media models and how the conventional wisdom of offering premium services to justify costs may no longer be valid in the increasingly competitive digital market.

In 2001, Anderson was named editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, and during this time, he oversaw a huge transformation in the magazine's audio and video presence. This transformation put the magazine at the forefront of digital media and earned Anderson a reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern media. He left the editorial job in 2012, but still serves as the magazine's CEO.

Perhaps his most famous product is the TED Conference, which he conceived in 1984 and turned into a multi-platform global phenomenon. TED conferences feature talks from experts in many different fields and usually focus on pursuing big ideas and rejecting bureaucracy. Anderson continues to curate the talks for TED.

In 2020, Anderson published his most recent book, The Future of Management. It discusses how technology has changed the way corporations are run, from the largest multinationals to the smallest startups. It also features Anderson's signature blend of narrative and with data-driven insights into how technology and culture shape the way companies run.

In sum, Anderson is a leading figure in technology journalism and culture who has contributed widely to the industry with books and products like The Long Tail, Free, Wired, and TED. His work has provided unique insights into how digital media has disrupted traditional business models and has helped equip media businesses with the tools they need to succeed in the competitive digital economy.