Derek Thompson

Derek Kahn Thompson, born on May 18, 1986, in McLean, Virginia, established an early interest in the performing arts, appearing in several theatrical productions at the Folger Shakespeare Theater and the Shakespeare Theater prior to graduating high school. He pursued higher education at Northwestern University, where he earned a triple major in journalism, political science, and legal studies in 2008. This academic foundation prepared him for a career in journalism focusing on economic and cultural trends.

Thompson’s career at The Atlantic began in 2009, where he became a staff writer contributing extensively on economics, labor markets, and media. His work includes two cover stories for the magazine: “A World Without Work,” exploring automation’s impact on the labor force, and a profile of Alphabet’s X development division. He expanded his reach into audio media, hosting the “Crazy/Genius” podcast starting in 2018, which received an iHeartMedia Best Podcast Award nomination, and later launched the weekly headline podcast “Plain English” in 2021 as part of The Ringer Podcast Network. These roles highlight his ability to communicate complex topics across various platforms.

His published works include the national bestselling book, “Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction” (2017), which earned the American Marketing Association’s Leonard L. Berry Marketing Book Award. He co-authored “Abundance” with Ezra Klein, scheduled for release in 2025, which examines factors affecting development in the United States, including climate change and infrastructure. Thompson has also served as a news analyst for CBS and a weekly contributor to NPR’s “Here and Now,” offering his expert commentary on current events and economic matters.