Michael Hansen

Michael Hansen became Chief Executive Officer of Cengage Group in September of 2012 and has been a Director of Cengage Group since March 2014. Under Michael's leadership, Cengage Group has transformed into a leading global provider of course materials and online learning. United by a transparent and accountable culture, Cengage Group is a pioneer in the Education for Employment movement by offering learners a range of choices in how, where and when they pursue the skills and competencies needed to secure employment and grow in their careers. Michael was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business in 2020 for his leadership in tackling the affordability crisis in higher education with the launch of Cengage Unlimited, the first-ever all-access digital subscription service for higher ed course materials. He has also been recognized by Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards as a Top CEO. Prior to joining Cengage Group, Michael served as CEO of the Health Science Business at Reed Elsevier (now RELX) and Harcourt. Earlier in his career, Michael led the portfolio transformation at Bertelsmann and served as a partner at Boston Consulting Group. He currently sits on the Board of Talkspace, a publicly traded mental health company and on the Business Advisory Council for ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit newsroom. Michael holds a Master of Law degree from the University of Bonn in Germany and a MBA from Columbia University in New York.