Jeff Weiner

Jeff Weiner
Born	Jeffrey Weiner 21 2, 1970
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive, venture capitalist
Known for	Former CEO of LinkedIn, Executive Chairman of LinkedIn, Founding Partner of Next Play Ventures
Education	University of Pennsylvania (BS)
Awards	Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2011)

Jeffrey Weiner (born February 21, 1970) is an American business executive who served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, from 2009 to 2020. Under his leadership, LinkedIn grew from a modest professional networking site into one of the most influential platforms in the global technology industry, culminating in its acquisition by Microsoft for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016 — one of the largest technology acquisitions in history. Before joining LinkedIn, Weiner held senior executive roles at Yahoo! and Warner Bros. After stepping down as CEO, he transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of LinkedIn and became the founding partner of Next Play Ventures, a venture capital firm. Weiner is known in technology and business circles for his management philosophy centered on what he describes as "compassionate leadership," a framework he has discussed extensively in public forums, including appearances at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Northeastern University.

Early Life

Jeffrey Weiner was born on February 21, 1970, in New York City, New York. He grew up in the New York metropolitan area. Details about his parents and family background during his formative years are not extensively documented in public sources. Weiner has spoken in various interviews about the influence of his upbringing on his later leadership philosophy, though specific details about his childhood remain largely private.

Education

Weiner attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School. The Wharton School is consistently ranked among the top business programs in the United States and has produced numerous leaders in finance, technology, and entrepreneurship. Weiner's education at Wharton provided a foundation in business strategy and economics that would later inform his approach to scaling technology companies. He has maintained ties to the University of Pennsylvania community and has returned to the Wharton School as a speaker, including a notable appearance in 2018 where he discussed the role of compassion in building successful companies.

Career

Warner Bros.

Before entering the technology industry, Weiner worked at Warner Bros., the entertainment conglomerate. His time at Warner Bros. exposed him to the media and entertainment business during a period of significant transition as digital technologies began reshaping the industry. The specifics of his role and tenure at Warner Bros. are not extensively documented, but the experience preceded his move into the internet and technology sector.

Yahoo!

Weiner joined Yahoo! and rose to a senior executive position at the company during its period of dominance as one of the leading internet portals. At Yahoo!, he held the role of executive vice president, overseeing the company's network division. In this capacity, he was responsible for a broad portfolio that included some of Yahoo!'s most important products and revenue-generating properties.

Weiner's departure from Yahoo! was covered by technology media outlets at the time. Search Engine Land reported that Yahoo! lost Weiner and likely would not replace him directly, suggesting the significance of his role within the organization. After leaving Yahoo!, Weiner briefly joined venture capital firms Accel Partners and Greylock Partners as a partner and adviser, marking a transitional period before his move to LinkedIn. His time in venture capital gave him exposure to the startup ecosystem and the opportunity to evaluate emerging technology companies, experience that would prove relevant in his subsequent role at LinkedIn.

LinkedIn: Interim President and CEO

Weiner joined LinkedIn on December 15, 2008, initially serving as Interim President. He subsequently became the company's chief executive officer in 2009. When he discussed taking the CEO role in 2008, he had conversations with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman about the division of decision-making responsibilities between the two of them.

At the time Weiner assumed leadership, LinkedIn was a growing but still relatively modest professional networking service. The company had yet to establish itself as an indispensable tool for recruiters, job seekers, and professionals worldwide. Under Weiner's leadership, the company underwent a period of substantial growth and strategic transformation.

Growth and Strategic Direction

One of Weiner's early priorities as CEO was establishing a clear strategic vision for LinkedIn. He has spoken publicly about the importance of defining a company's mission, vision, and strategy before focusing on execution. In a LinkedIn Learning course, Weiner discussed establishing a culture and plan for scaling a company, reflecting his emphasis on organizational alignment around shared goals.

Under Weiner's leadership, LinkedIn expanded its product offerings beyond basic professional networking. The platform grew to incorporate content publishing, job listings, recruitment tools, and advertising services. Weiner oversaw the development of LinkedIn's advertising business, with Forbes reporting on the growing ad opportunities the platform was making available to marketers.

In a 2010 interview with AllThingsD, Weiner discussed LinkedIn's growth trajectory, its approach to business intelligence, and the prospect of an initial public offering (IPO). LinkedIn went public in May 2011, and its IPO was one of the most closely watched technology debuts of that year.

Fortune magazine profiled Weiner in 2014, referring to him as LinkedIn's "networker-in-chief" and documenting the company's evolution under his stewardship from a networking platform into a multifaceted technology business. During this period, LinkedIn's membership expanded significantly, and the platform became a primary tool for talent acquisition and professional development worldwide.

Weiner also cultivated an internal organizational structure designed to support rapid decision-making. The business operations (BizOps) team that LinkedIn developed under Weiner's tenure became a model for other technology companies, with one LinkedIn executive describing it as "the hottest team in tech."

Microsoft Acquisition

In June 2016, Microsoft announced it would acquire LinkedIn for approximately $26.2 billion, making it one of the largest technology acquisitions in history. Weiner played a central role in negotiating and facilitating the deal. The acquisition was structured to allow LinkedIn to retain its distinct brand, culture, and independence, with Weiner continuing to serve as CEO reporting to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

In a Recode interview in November 2016, Weiner discussed the rationale behind the Microsoft acquisition and the plans for LinkedIn's future within the larger Microsoft ecosystem. The deal closed in December 2016 and was seen as a defining moment both for LinkedIn and for Microsoft's strategy of expanding its reach into professional services and social networking.

In 2016, Fortune reported that Weiner donated his approximately $14 million annual stock bonus to LinkedIn employees, a gesture that was widely covered in business media.

Transition to Executive Chairman

In February 2020, Weiner announced that he would step down as CEO of LinkedIn, effective June 1, 2020. He transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman. Ryan Roslansky, a longtime LinkedIn executive, succeeded Weiner as CEO. Forbes reported on the transition, noting that Weiner indicated he would focus on diversity within LinkedIn's network in his new role.

As Executive Chairman, Weiner continued to be involved in LinkedIn's strategic direction while stepping back from day-to-day operations. He has remained in the Executive Chairman role as of 2022 and beyond.

Next Play Ventures

Following his transition from the CEO role, Weiner founded Next Play Ventures, a venture capital firm. The firm reflects Weiner's interest in supporting early-stage companies and entrepreneurs. The name "Next Play" is derived from a concept Weiner has frequently referenced in his leadership philosophy — the idea of immediately focusing on the next opportunity or challenge after a success or failure, a concept he has attributed to basketball coaching methodology.

Management Philosophy: Compassionate Leadership

Throughout his career, Weiner has been closely associated with the concept of "compassionate management" or "compassionate leadership." He distinguishes compassion from empathy, defining compassion as empathy combined with a desire to help. In a 2017 appearance at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Weiner discussed managing compassionately and preparing for what he described as "the next worker revolution," addressing the impact of technology and automation on the labor market.

In a 2018 discussion at the Wharton School, Weiner elaborated on how compassion can build better companies. He argued that it is difficult for companies to make better decisions faster when their culture lacks trust and empathy. He stated that a compassionate corporate culture enables faster decision-making, greater innovation, and higher employee retention.

In October 2025, Weiner was invited to speak at Northeastern University as part of the Presidential Speaker Series. In a fireside chat with Northeastern President Joseph Aoun, Weiner discussed his belief that executives should embrace compassionate leadership, reinforcing themes he had articulated throughout his tenure at LinkedIn.

Weiner has also spoken about the importance of defining one's personal vision, maintaining clarity of purpose, and the role of mindfulness in executive leadership. His approach to management has been discussed as a case study at business schools and covered extensively in business media.

He was additionally featured in an interview with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he discussed LinkedIn's approach to talent and opportunity in the context of the evolving global workforce.

Personal Life

Weiner is based in the United States. He is known to be an avid fan of meditation and mindfulness practices, which he has referenced as integral to his daily routine and leadership approach. Beyond his professional activities, he has spoken publicly about the influence of his family life on his leadership style, though he maintains a relatively private personal life compared to some technology industry executives.

Weiner has been recognized as a prominent figure in the technology industry and has been listed among the top CEOs at U.S. technology companies by various publications, including Baseline Magazine.

Recognition

In 2011, Weiner and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, recognizing their contributions to building LinkedIn into a major technology company.

Business Insider included Weiner in its profiles of notable technology executives, documenting his career trajectory and influence within the industry. Fortune magazine profiled him multiple times during his tenure as LinkedIn CEO, reflecting his status as one of the more prominent leaders in Silicon Valley during the 2010s.

Weiner has been invited to speak at numerous prestigious institutions and forums, including the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Northeastern University, reflecting his standing as a thought leader on topics including corporate management, the future of work, and the role of technology in the economy.

His leadership of LinkedIn through its IPO, its growth into a platform with hundreds of millions of users, and its acquisition by Microsoft established Weiner as one of the notable technology executives of his generation. The Microsoft acquisition, valued at approximately $26.2 billion, remains one of the largest in the history of the technology industry and is frequently cited in discussions of major corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Legacy

Weiner's tenure as CEO of LinkedIn from 2009 to 2020 is associated with the transformation of the platform from a professional networking site into a comprehensive ecosystem for recruitment, content publishing, professional development, and advertising. Under his leadership, LinkedIn became the dominant platform for professional networking globally, a status it has maintained.

The Microsoft acquisition in 2016, which Weiner facilitated, was a landmark deal that shaped the strategies of both companies. LinkedIn's integration into the Microsoft ecosystem — while maintaining operational independence — became a model for how large technology acquisitions could be structured to preserve the acquired company's culture and brand identity.

Weiner's emphasis on compassionate leadership has influenced discussions about corporate management in the technology industry and beyond. His articulation of a management philosophy that prioritizes empathy, clarity of vision, and employee well-being has been discussed in business school curricula and leadership development programs.

Through Next Play Ventures, Weiner has continued to influence the technology ecosystem by investing in and supporting emerging companies, extending his impact beyond his role at LinkedIn. His career trajectory — from Warner Bros. to Yahoo! to venture capital to LinkedIn — reflects the evolution of the internet industry from the late 1990s through the 2020s.