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James Slezak

Operator

James Slezak is the co-founder and CEO of Swayable, a data and analytics platform that measures the persuasive impact of content — including advertising, political messaging and social media — on public opinion. Swayable uses rapid online experiments to test how exposure to specific messages changes attitudes, giving marketers, political campaigns and advocacy organizations scientific insight into what actually moves people. The platform has been used by major brands, progressive political campaigns and NGOs seeking to maximize the effectiveness of their communications. Before founding Swayable, Slezak held a senior role at The New York Times, where he served as Executive Director of Digital Products and helped lead the organization's digital transformation and subscription growth strategy during a pivotal period for the news industry. His background spans product development, data science and organizational strategy across both media and technology. Slezak is recognized in marketing and media circles for applying rigorous experimental methodology — rooted in academic social science — to the practical challenge of measuring advertising and messaging effectiveness, bridging the gap between research and real-world campaign optimization.

Last updated Oct 25, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment

Role
CEO
Company
Swayable
Based
New York, New York, United States

AI-drafted from public sources1 source cited

Years in industry
12 years

Bio

James Slezak is the co-founder and CEO of Swayable, a data and analytics platform that measures the persuasive impact of content — including advertising, political messaging and social media — on public opinion. Swayable uses rapid online experiments to test how exposure to specific messages changes attitudes, giving marketers, political campaigns and advocacy organizations scientific insight into what actually moves people. The platform has been used by major brands, progressive political campaigns and NGOs seeking to maximize the effectiveness of their communications. Before founding Swayable, Slezak held a senior role at The New York Times, where he served as Executive Director of Digital Products and helped lead the organization's digital transformation and subscription growth strategy during a pivotal period for the news industry. His background spans product development, data science and organizational strategy across both media and technology. Slezak is recognized in marketing and media circles for applying rigorous experimental methodology — rooted in academic social science — to the practical challenge of measuring advertising and messaging effectiveness, bridging the gap between research and real-world campaign optimization.

Expertise & education

Expertise

Message TestingPersuasion MeasurementConsumer ResearchPolitical AdvertisingBrand Advertising EffectivenessDigital MediaExperimental MethodologySubscription and Audience Strategy

Speaking topics

Measuring advertising and messaging effectivenessPersuasion science and public opinionData-driven political and advocacy communicationsDigital media transformation

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Co-founded Swayable, a platform that quantifies the persuasive impact of content using rapid online experiments
  • Led digital product strategy at The New York Times during a critical phase of its digital subscription growth