Ray Hennessey, the former editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine, has joined marketing and communications firm JConnelly as its chief innovation officer.
He joined Entrepreneur in June 2013.
Hennessey will initially spearhead efforts to build and enhance JConnelly’s content development and distribution capabilities. His focus will extend to all areas of the business, including marketing and video, while also devising revenue streams such as licensing and sponsorships.
“The future of communications is in building and engaging communities with digital and real-world experiences that inform and inspire,” said Jennifer Connelly, founder and CEO of JConnelly, in a statement. “Ray has spent his career re-imagining what it means to be a media brand. He is uniquely qualified to lead this effort — harnessing new and disruptive technologies to capitalize on this opportunity for our clients and the agency as a whole.”
During his tenure at Entrepreneur, Hennessey grew the online audience four-fold and helped launch the Entrepreneur360 and Top Company Culture franchises, as well as the Entrepreneur Network video channel. In addition, Hennessey led Entrepreneur’s investment in Alley, a co-working community in New York City, where he continues to serve as a senior advisor.
Prior to Entrepreneur, Hennessey helped launch the Fox Business Network, where he served as founding business news director. Previously, he was editor at SmartMoney.com and Dow Jones, a daily on-air contributor at CNBC and the IPO columnist at The Wall Street Journal.
