A Culture of Curiosity and Collaboration: Interview with Head of US Media Partnerships Bernie Davis

Bernie Davis is the Head of US Media Partnerships at SmartNews, based in New York City. He joined the company in 2014 as the third U.S.-based employee and the 24th hire globally. Now, a decade into his journey with SmartNews, Bernie reflects on what makes the company unique, offering a glimpse of its culture and the purpose that drives SmartNews forward.

The contents of this article are as of November 22, 2024.

A Fresh Perspective on News

Much of Bernie’s career has been at the intersection of technology and media. He has worked for behemoth media companies like Reuters, where he held a product management role and was part of a team building Reuters’ first foray into web-based consumer products. He later shifted to business development, helping Condé Nast’s digital-native websites and fledgling digital magazines reach new audiences across social media platforms and mobile apps as smartphones and tablets started to become widespread. With such a diverse background, SmartNews’s focus on the mobile app space in 2014 wasn’t exactly novel to Bernie — there were a handful of services focused on news, such as Flipboard and Pulse. But what drew him to SmartNews was the app’s potential due to its focus on the power of discovery.

"SmartNews was, from its inception, differentiated from the feed reader-type paradigms of that time," he says. "With those early news readers, you’d have to do a lot of work to curate your experience. SmartNews’s promise of using algorithms to diversify the sources and topics a user would see was a new outlook on what was possible."

Furthermore, Bernie was attracted to SmartNews's mission and values-driven approach to business, especially its engagement with its publishing partners.

“Having witnessed how technology companies often steamroll publishers in my previous roles, SmartNews’s publisher-friendly outlook was a big selling point for me,” he says.

Ten years later, he feels these values are as relevant as ever, particularly as the information landscape becomes more complex.

“We’re seeing it again with AI companies training their models without compensation for the creators,” Bernie says. “The destabilizing effect on many publishers by tech companies with shifting priorities has contributed to distrust between those in technology and news. And these same technology companies have often shown disregard for the dangers of misinformation, which has contributed to a decline in trust in news overall.”

A Culture of Curiosity and Collaboration

Over the years, SmartNews has grown significantly, now with about 500 employees worldwide, but it has maintained a strong collaborative culture. Bernie describes this culture as “collaborative and curious,” where ideas are welcomed from all company corners. "Leadership here does a great job supporting the idea that great ideas come from all over,” he says.

SmartNews’s global footprint brings together diverse cultural perspectives. While the cultural differences and nuances can range from subtle to profound, at its best, Bernie describes the leadership style as embodying the mindfulness of Japanese culture, combined with the spirit of Silicon Valley innovation, with a small New York office with a “media mindset.” “The media’s presence in New York still looms large, and this is where we have a mix of media partnerships, advertising sales, as well as SmartNews’s new AI Product Management team. It’s a small office with a unique work environment where employees feel supported sharing new ideas and learning from each other.”

A Mission-Driven Role: Partnering with Publishers

Bernie’s role as Head of US Media Partnerships focuses on building sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships with a diverse array of publishers, from local newsrooms and non-profit organizations, to enterprise-level organizations. His team acts as an intermediary for these publishers, relaying their needs and challenges to the product and engineering teams. “My team spends a lot of time speaking with publishers and trying to understand their key challenges. We do our best to relay this information back to the product and engineering teams to help them understand technology from the perspective of those creating it,” he says.

Building and maintaining good relationships with publishers isn’t just the right thing to do; it is essential for SmartNews’s success.

“In order for SmartNews to thrive, our publishers need to thrive, which means we need to create something of value for both our users and be a good partner to the creators of our content. It’s a pretty simple concept, but other tech firms have pulled the carpet out from under publishers in the past by doing things like providing them with revenue streams or programs that either just weren’t sustainable or the tech firms weren’t incentivized to maintain. We’ve sought to be different. This has enabled us to provide a depth of content that has contributed to our success and is in keeping with the mission to bring the world’s quality information to the people who need it,” he says.

Building Bonds and Sharing Experiences

One of the aspects Bernie enjoys most is the camaraderie within the team. Whether through work discussions or social events, there’s a sense of community. Bernie cherishes any opportunity for in-person connection, especially with colleagues from around the world. "People at SmartNews, whether they’re based in New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, Tokyo, or remote, always have amazing interests and hobbies,” he says. The team often bonds over family-style meals, sharing and sampling dishes, which reflects the broader culture of curiosity and openness.

This family-style approach extends beyond meals; it’s emblematic of how people collaborate and support each other, he says. SmartNews employees bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives to the table, enriching both the work and social aspects of their roles.

Advice for Prospective Employees

For those considering a role at SmartNews, Bernie is confident that now is the most exciting time to join the company out of the past ten years. “Basically, everything is on the table as we look at the technology that is ahead of us. There’s ample opportunity to effect change and create new impact.”

Bernie also highlights the company’s supportive work environment. Flexibility is a key benefit, allowing employees to balance in-person and remote work according to their needs. For those close to an office, Bernie recommends spending a few days a week on-site to enjoy the sense of community — and the free lunches, a perk that even includes homemade meals at the Tokyo office. “SmartNews is a dynamic and fun place to work,” he says. “It has been an amazing experience, and I truly believe our mission is as urgent or perhaps even more now than it has ever been in the ten years since I started.”