As one of the first employees at the outlet, Carlson played a key role in overseeing its growth and evolution into a general interest publication in the late 2010s. The publication rebranded itself as Insider and expanded its lifestyle and political reporting teams to attract a broader audience. 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