Cengage Learning, a leading global provider of teaching, learning and research solutions, today announces the appointment of Michael Hansen to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mr. Hansen will succeed Ron Dunn, who has served as CEO since July 2007. Effective upon the commencement of Mr. Hansen’s employment on September 17, 2012, Mr. Dunn will take up the position of Executive Chairman for at least the next three years.
Since 2008, Mr. Hansen has served as CEO of Elsevier Health Sciences, a unit of Reed Elsevier. From 2006-2008, he was President and CEO of Harcourt Assessment, the education arm of Reed Elsevier, where he led a successful turnaround and sale of the business. Before Reed Elsevier, Mr. Hansen was Executive Vice President, Operational Excellence at Bertelsmann, where he led a group-wide performance improvement initiative. He began his career with Boston Consulting Group where he was a partner and co-chairman of their e-Business and Media practice.
Ron Dunn commented: “We are delighted that Michael Hansen has agreed to take on the role of CEO at Cengage Learning. He is a seasoned executive with significant experience in guiding digital transitions in publishing businesses, and we feel he is highly qualified to lead the company through the next stages of its growth strategy.”
Christian Stahl, a partner at Apax Partners and member of the Cengage Learning board of directors added: “Michael will make a great addition to Cengage. In particular, we believe that he and Ron represent an unrivaled leadership team that will enable the company to drive continued strong operational performance by delivering innovative learning solutions to our customers.”
