Chris Hughes Explained

Chris Hughes
Birth Name:Christopher Hughes
Birth Date:26 November 1983
Birth Place:Hickory, North Carolina, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Known For:Co-founder of Facebook
Education:Harvard University (AB)
The New School (MA)
University of Pennsylvania
Occupation:Entrepreneur

Christopher Hughes (born November 26, 1983[1]) is an American entrepreneur and author who co-founded and served as spokesman for the online social directory and networking site Facebook until 2007. He was the publisher and editor-in-chief of The New Republic from 2012 to 2016.

Hughes co-founded the Economic Security Project (ESP) in 2016. In 2018, he published Fair Shot: Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn.

Early life and education

Hughes grew up in Hickory, North Carolina,[2] as the only child of Arlen "Ray" Hughes, an industrial paper salesman, and Brenda Hughes, a mathematics teacher.[3] He was raised as an evangelical Lutheran.[4] He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, before earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and English Literature, magna cum laude, from Harvard College.[3] [5]

In February 2020, it was reported that Hughes was in the process of earning his Master of Arts in Economics from The New School.[6] He has since begun a Doctor of Philosophy in business ethics and legal studies at the University of Pennsylvania.[7]

Career

Facebook

Hughes is a co-founder of Facebook.[8] [9] At Harvard, Hughes met and was recruited by Mark Zuckerberg, who was still working in the early stages of the website. During their summer break in 2004, Hughes and Zuckerberg traveled to Palo Alto, California. While Zuckerberg decided to remain in Palo Alto after the break, Hughes returned to Harvard to continue his studies. In 2006, after graduating from Harvard, Hughes relocated to Palo Alto to rejoin Zuckerberg and became involved in Facebook again.

Hughes was unofficially responsible for beta testing and product suggestions. When the group had the idea to open Facebook to other schools, Hughes argued that schools should have their networks to maintain intimacy. He was also a key driver in developing many of Facebook's popular features, which led to the opening of Facebook to the outside world.

Hughes left Facebook in 2007.[10]

When Facebook's initial public offering took place in 2012, Hughes made $500 million.[11]

After Facebook

In March 2009, Hughes was named Entrepreneur in Residence at General Catalyst, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, venture-capital firm.[12]

Hughes was the executive director of Jumo, a non-profit social network organization he founded in 2010, which "aims to help people find ways to help the world".[13] [14] In July 2010, UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) appointed him to a 17-member "High Level Commission" of renowned politicians, business leaders, human rights activists, and scientists tasked with spearheading a "social and political action campaign over the coming year aimed at galvanizing support for effective HIV prevention programmes."[15]

The New Republic

In March 2012, Hughes purchased a majority stake in The New Republic magazine. He became the publisher and executive chairman and also served as editor-in-chief of the magazine.[16] In December 2014, shortly after the magazine's centennial celebration, editor Franklin Foer and literary editor Leon Wieseltier were "driven out," and dozens of other staff and contributing editors resigned after a new chief executive, Guy Vidra, a former Yahoo! employee, described the new direction of the magazine as a "vertically integrated digital media company."[17] The magazine was forced to cancel its upcoming issue due to the staff departures.

The magazine was not profitable during Hughes' tenure.[18] On January 11, 2016, Hughes put The New Republic up for sale, saying he had "underestimated the difficulty of transitioning an old and traditional institution into a digital media company in today's quickly evolving climate." Hughes' ownership of The New Republic was described by The New York Times as a "vanity project."[19] He sold the magazine on February 26, 2016, to Oregon publisher Win McCormack.[20]

Other activities

Hughes co-founded the Economic Security Project in 2016. In 2018, he published Fair Shot: Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn.[21]

In May 2019, he published an op-ed in the New York Times, calling for the break-up of Facebook and government regulation of content on it;[22] in June of the same year, he criticized the Facebook decision to launch Libra (which was later renamed Diem), saying that the cryptocurrency "would shift power into the wrong hands if, at least, the coin be modestly successful".[23]

Political involvement

After leaving Facebook, Hughes volunteered for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Hughes and Sean Eldridge bought a $2 million residence in New York's 19th congressional district with the reported purpose of permitting Eldridge to run for the congressional seat there.[24] In 2014, Eldridge lost his congressional bid by 29 points.[25]

Hughes endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the run-up for the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[26]

Personal life

Hughes is gay and is married to Sean Eldridge.[27] Hughes and Eldridge announced their engagement in January 2011 at a reception supporting Freedom to Marry. They married on June 30, 2012.[28]

In popular culture

Hughes was portrayed by actor Patrick Mapel in the 2010 film The Social Network.[29]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leskin . Paige . The story of Chris Hughes, who made a fortune by helping Mark Zuckerberg create Facebook, but now thinks it should be broken up . 2023-11-15 . Business Insider . en-US.
  2. News: The Facebooker Who Friended Obama. The New York Times. Stelter, Brian. Brian Stelter. July 7, 2008.
  3. Web site: How Chris Hughes Helped Launch Facebook and the Barack Obama Campaign. Fast Company. McGirt, Ellen. April 1, 2009.
  4. News: Chris Hughes and Sean Eldridge Are the New Power Brokers. The New York Times. Holson, Laura M.. May 4, 2012.
  5. Web site: Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes Marries Longtime Boyfriend. Solomon. Brian. Forbes. en. 2020-04-05.
  6. Web site: Chris Hughes wants another chance. Matthews. Dylan. 2020-01-15. Vox. en. 2020-04-05.
  7. Web site: Chris Hughes .
  8. Web site: Chris Hughes And Facebook: What Are A Founder's Responsibilities?. Enrique. Dans. Forbes.
  9. Web site: Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes: I still consider Mark Zuckerberg a friend, but his 'power has grown too big'. Jessica. Bursztynsky. June 17, 2019. CNBC.
  10. Web site: How Facebook Cofounder Chris Hughes Made (And Spent) His Fortune. Michael. Nuñez. Forbes.
  11. Web site: Chris Hughes Got Lucky With Facebook, Now He Wants Everyone To Have A Shot. Ben. Schiller. February 19, 2018. Fast Company.
  12. News: After Facebook And The Obama Campaign, Chris Hughes Takes a Post At General Catalyst. TechCrunch. Schonfeld, Erick. March 17, 2009. October 8, 2009.
  13. News: Facebook Chris Hughes's Jumo.com. Fast Company. McGirt, Ellen. March 18, 2010.
  14. News: A Facebook Founder Begins a Social Network Focused on Charities. The New York Times. Wortham, Jenna. November 30, 2010.
  15. Web site: Top world personalities join UNAIDS' High Level Commission to bring about a prevention revolution. UNAIDS TODAY. July 21, 2010.
  16. Web site: New Republic Gets an Owner Steeped in New Media. The New York Times. March 9, 2012. March 9, 2012.
  17. News: Revolt at the New New Republic. The New York Times. 2014-12-07. 2016-01-12. 0362-4331. Jonathan. Mahler. Ravi. Somaiya.
  18. News: The New Republic Is for Sale Again. The New York Times. 2016-01-11. 2016-01-12. 0362-4331. Ravi. Somaiya.
  19. News: When Restless Billionaires Trip on Their Toys. The New York Times. 2016-01-11. 2016-01-12. 0362-4331. Andrew Ross. Sorkin.
  20. Web site: The New Republic Is Sold by Facebook Co-founder Chris Hughes. Byers. Dylan. CNNMoney. February 26, 2016. 2016-02-27.
  21. Web site: Book review. Kirkus Reviews. February 12, 2018.
  22. Web site: New York Times Op-Ed It's Time to Break Up Facebook. The New York Times. Hughes. Chris. May 9, 2019. May 10, 2019.
  23. Web site: June 21, 2019. Facebook co-founder: Libra coin would shift power into the wrong hands. The Financial Times. June 22, 2019.
  24. Web site: Young, Rich and Relocating Yet Again in Hunt for Political Office. 11 July 2013. The New York Times.
  25. Web site: The Rise and Fall of Chris Hughes and Sean Eldridge, America's Worst Gay Power Couple. Kirchick. James. The Daily Beast. 8 December 2014. 15 December 2014.
  26. Web site: Media Bigwigs Donate To Hillary Clinton; Writers Donate To Bernie Sanders. Brendan. James. February 10, 2016. International Business Times.
  27. Web site: A Place at the State Dinner Table. November 24, 2009. The Advocate.
  28. Web site: Forty Under 40 . May 2011 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110423130511/http://www.advocate.com/printArticle.aspx?id=194775 . 2011-04-23 .
  29. News: Sparks . Hannah . How Chris Hughes and Facebook co-founders were cast in 'Social Network' . New York Post . May 9, 2019 . en.