Jim Friedlich

Executive Director & CEO

Jim Friedlich was appointed Executive Director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism in September 2016.  

Jim served previously as CEO of Empirical Media Advisors, a consulting firm focused on the digital transformation of major news organizations. Empirical advised Bloomberg, Tribune Media, Reuters, The Dallas Morning News, Time Inc., Business Insider, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer and an array of other major media concerns.

From 1990-2000,  Jim managed the global advertising sales, consumer marketing and business development of a large and diverse group of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones & Company newspapers, magazines, web sites, cable TV channels and conferences. He served on the Board of Directors of CNBC International, as well as joint ventures with Nikkei, Handlesblatt, and The Financial Times.  He headed worldwide business development for Dow Jones’ digital publishing divisions: Dow Jones Interactive (WSJ.com) Factiva-JV with Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, and Dow Jones Indexes.

In 2001, Jim co-founded ZM Capital, a New York-based media investment firm. From 2001-2010, he led the firm’s investment in publishing and information services. He was integrally involved in the acquisition and management of Time Life (direct-response media), Take-Two Interactive (video games), Alloy Media (television and digital media), and ITN Networks (broadcast television).  Jim served as Executive Chairman of Naylor LLC, the leading business-to-business media services provider for trade associations throughout North America, a ZM Capital portfolio company. He was a seed investor in Business Insider, a digital business news publisher sold to Axel Springer.

Jim attended Dartmouth College, is a graduate of Wesleyan University with a B.A. in English and received his MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He serves on the Board of Directors of Dice Holdings (NYSE), WFMU (public radio), and the Bard Center for Civic Engagement.