Chief Business Officer, Foreign Affairs

Since its founding in 1922, Foreign Affairs has been the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and global affairs. It is now a multiplatform media organization with a print magazine, a website, an app, a podcast, newsletters, and more. Foreign Affairs is published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a non-profit and nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to improving the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs through the free exchange of ideas.

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Its founding mission was to broaden public understanding of international affairs and create a forum in which experts and policymakers could examine major questions affecting relations among nations. Over its history, the publication has featured contributions from prominent policymakers, scholars, diplomats, economists, and political leaders from the United States and around the world. Foreign Affairs has also played a notable role in the history of U.S. foreign-policy debate.

Foreign Affairs occupies a distinctive position, focused on driving policy and academic debate but with the reach of a general-interest publication. Its editorial model emphasizes long-form analysis, argument and policy ideas, frequently written by individuals directly involved in foreign policy as well as academics and subject-matter experts. As part of CFR, the publication operates within an institution that is nonpartisan and independent and does not take institutional positions on policy issues. Foreign Affairs accordingly serves as a forum for competing perspectives rather than advocating a single institutional foreign-policy position. Its subject matter extends beyond traditional diplomacy and national security to include economics, technology, trade, energy, climate, public health, democracy, political systems and other issues affecting international relations.

The print magazine is published six times per year, with issues appearing on a bimonthly schedule: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December. Another 8-10 articles run exclusively online every week, and a new episode of the podcast is released once a week. As of 2026, Foreign Affairs had circulation of approximately 226,000, representing a significant expansion from its historical base, with nearly 10% of that total coming from newsstand sales. Total Foreign Affairs revenue exceeded $12 million for the fiscal year, in line with the prior year's record level.

The Role

The Chief Business Officer ("CBO") of Foreign Affairs is the senior executive responsible for leading the business strategy and operations of this highly respected media organization, in service of advancing the magazine’s broader mission and of expanding its impact, reach, and revenue. The Chief Business Officer is also a critical member of CFR’s executive leadership team and will contribute to a culture that embraces transparency and collaboration.

Reporting directly to the President of the Council on Foreign Relations, and working in close collaboration with the Editor of Foreign Affairs, the CBO will join a creative, intellectually curious and entrepreneurial leadership team committed to broadening public understanding of international affairs. The CBO is a team leader who balances deep operational knowledge with strong strategic vision. Overseeing the business side of Foreign Affairs, the CBO is responsible for revenue, marketing, audience development, product and physical production for a brand with more than a century of agenda-setting content. The CBO will serve as an important strategic partner to the Editor on brand strategy, organizational direction and Board communications, helping to shape the long-term business strategy while respecting and reinforcing Foreign Affairs’ editorial standards and independence.

A strategic thinker and proven operator with experience owning a P&L, responding effectively to market changes and cultivating a collaborative organizational culture, the CBO will oversee strategy and execution across Foreign Affairs’ principal revenue streams, including subscriptions, advertising and newsstand. With subscriptions representing the majority of the brand’s revenue, the CBO will bring a sophisticated understanding of subscription economics, consumer marketing and audience development and will lead a seasoned, cross-functional team in balancing audience growth, revenue generation and long-term brand health.

Most importantly, the CBO is responsible for continuing to expand the readership of the magazine while maintaining the legacy of a 100+ year old brand within a rapidly changing media landscape. This will require a strong understanding of how audiences d