Michael Hansen

Michael E. Hansen has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Cengage Group since September 2012, guiding the educational content provider through a successful Chapter 11 restructuring and transitioning it into a thriving global edtech company.

Under his leadership, Cengage has shifted from print to a digitally centered model—now delivering over 70% of its offerings digitally, and cultivating a purpose-driven strategy focused on "Education for Employment."

Hansen was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business (2020) for launching Cengage Unlimited, the pioneering all-access digital subscription for educational materials.

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He has a reputation as a transformative CEO, known for deploying innovative business models, nurturing high-performing teams, and fostering an open, collaborative culture recognized through Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work listings (2019, 2023, 2024) and his own ranking as a Top CEO (2018–2019).

Before leading Cengage, Hansen held executive roles including CEO of Harvard Assessment (Harcourt Assessment) and the Health Sciences division at Elsevier, along with senior leadership in operational excellence at Bertelsmann and a long tenure at Boston Consulting Group, where he rose to partner and co-chair of the e-Business & Media practice.

He also serves on the boards of Talkspace and ProPublica, merging his commitment to education with a broader interest in societal impact.

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