Nicholas Thompson (born 1975) is an American journalist, author, and media executive. Prior to his journalism career, he released three albums of acoustic guitar music, worked briefly at Penguin Computing, and co-wrote a book on comparative economic development in West Africa and Southeast Asia. He began his professional journalism path as a freelance journalist and street musician in New York before joining Washington Monthly as an editor in 1999. Thompson advanced through prominent media roles, serving as editor-in-chief of Wired from 2017 to 2021 and previously leading The New Yorker's website. Since February 2021, he has been the CEO of The Atlantic magazine. He is the author of two non-fiction books and has a forthcoming 2025 memoir titled 'The Running Ground,' which explores his personal history with running, family challenges, and resilience. Thompson has appeared in international forums, such as commenting at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2026 on perceptions of the United States amid political changes.