MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: PAUL HENDERSON

Could you tell us who you are and what it is that you do?

My name is Paul Henderson. I’m the Chief Product Officer, overseeing product and technology, for IANS Research, a Boston-based firm providing data and insights to the InfoSec industry.

What do you love about the work?

I’ve spent my whole career in subscription-based, sector-focused information businesses (commercial real estate, banking, energy, etc.) and I love learning the idiosyncrasies and language of a particular ecosystem. I love operating at the intersection of technology and data. I think providing highly valuable, differentiated data/news/research/analytics that is trusted enough for people to make investment, capital allocation and/or risk management decisions based on that information does, on some level, make the world a better place. That gives the work a sense of mission for me.

How did you arrive at this point in your career? What’s your backstory?

I was a hapless English major just cobbling together a journalism career and stumbled into a job as a bank reporter for Charlottesville-based SNL Financial in 2001. I grew up with the company and over time ran the news division and data backbone. When we were acquired in 2015, I stayed on and was Chief Data Officer for a large information subsidiary of S&P Global before leaving in 2019. Since then I’ve had executive roles at other premium information businesses, and also done consulting and advising work in the space.

Has there been a 'light switch' moment, a turning point (or two), professionally and 2or personally along the way?

Not particularly. At first, I found the nuts-and-bolts work of producing exceptionally high-quality data and news challenging and intellectually rewarding (and I still do). Later I realized (much to my surprise, and perhaps others as well) that I had a fairly good temperament and disposition for leadership roles.

Who or what has been your greatest influence? 

Christopher Hitchens is the cultural figure I most admire. I believe in trying to approach the world with a sense of rigor and independent-mindedness and he is my model there. Professionally, my first boss at SNL, Alan Zimmerman, gave me great advice I still remember and played a big role in my early career (even though I annoyed him and I doubt he remembers me fondly). SNL’s founder Reid Nagle and CEO Mike Chinn were influences, in different ways.

What are you currently working on, excited about, looking forward to?

I’m deeply engaged in the opportunity we have a IANS to use AI to derive value from clients in a myriad of different ways from our unique and rich underlying data.

What are you reading, watching, listening to these days?

Started reading first of four-volume collected George Orwell – we’ll see if I make it. Pluribus is interesting.

Anything we missed that you might care to share (closing thoughts)?

Please say “hi” if you see me around! I took space here b/c working from home during the pandemic made me appreciate how much I enjoy the physical presence of colleagues.