In 2002, the Columbia Journalism Review called The Atlantic “a magazine that, under the leadership of the unusual new owner, David G. Bradley, is experiencing something of a renaissance.” Bradley later remarked that he took “unusual” to be the only convincing thought in the sentence.

A native of Washington, D.C., Bradley graduated from Swarthmore College and holds an M.B.A. from Harvard and a J.D. from Georgetown. During his early 20s, he served as a Fulbright Scholar in the Philippines.

At the age of 26, Bradley launched his first company, The Advisory Board Company, a for-profit think tank ultimately serving 4,000 corporations, financial institutions and medical centers around the world. The Advisory Board and its sister enterprise, the Corporate Executive Board, today are public companies, listed on NASDAQ. Bradley sold his ownership in the two companies soon after their public listing.

Today, Bradley owns Atlantic Media Company, the publisher of several high-end magazines and news services for the national and Washington professional classes. Company holdings include The Atlantic, National Journal, Congress Daily, Government Executive and The Hotline. Atlantic Media employs more than 350 professionals.