As one of the first employees at Business Insider, Carlson played a key role in overseeing its growth and evolution into a general interest publication in the late 2010s. However, like many digital news outlets heavily reliant on social media for distribution, it faced challenges when Facebook changed its algorithm away from news content.
In response to these challenges, CEO Barbara Peng announced in 2023 that the organization would revert to its original name, Business Insider, focusing on its core strengths in tech and markets coverage. Reports surfaced last month suggesting that Carlson would be stepping down from his role later in the year. Despite legal threats from Ackman regarding stories about his wife’s academic work, Axel Springer initially stood by Carlson.
However, amid online backlash from Ackman and his supporters, the company’s CEO Mathias Döpfner reportedly considered firing Carlson. An Axel Springer spokesperson praised Carlson for his leadership in transforming Business Insider into an award-winning newsroom that reaches millions of readers and viewers globally. However, they emphasized that the renewed focus on business news would heavily influence the selection of Carlson’s successor.
The spokesperson expressed pride in the outlet’s renewed commitment to coverage of business, tech, and innovation, and voiced support for CEO Barbara Peng in leading the search for the next Editor-in-Chief. It should be noted that CEO Barbara Peng was the one who changed the outlet’s name back to Business Insider in 2023 not 2022 as previously stated.