Business Insider president Hansen leaving company

Business Insider president Julie Hansen is leaving the company at the end of the year to join a start-up, reports Lukas Alpert of The Wall Street Journal.

Alpert writes, “Ms. Hansen’s departure comes a little over a year after German media conglomerate Axel Springer SE acquired most of the company for a $343 million in a deal that valued the entire company at about $390 million.

“Since then, Axel Springer has worked to integrate Business Insider into its operations. In October, the companies launched MarketsInsider.com, a globally-focused markets data and news operation powered by Finanzen.net, Axel Springer’s German finance portal.

“Ms. Hansen joined Business Insider in 2008 as the company’s fifth employee and helped founders Henry Blodget and Kevin Ryan build the company into one of the most well-trafficked business news outfits on the web. Business Insider attracted 53.2 million unique visitors in October, up 29% from the same month a year earlier, according to comScore Inc.

“Ms. Hansen held an undisclosed equity stake in the company. She is departing to lead an undisclosed start-up company that is not in the media space.”

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