Brian Nairn
Brian Nairn is the former CEO of the Health Sciences division of Elsevier, a division of Reed Elsevier and the world’s largest publisher of Scientific, Technical and Medical information products and services. Elsevier Health Sciences publishes books, journals, magazines, and on-line resources for physicians, healthcare practitioners, pharma professionals, researchers and educators around the globe and in more than 20 languages. Under his leadership from 2001 to 2008, the business grew from $650 million to more than $1.5 billion in revenue. He was a member of the Elsevier Board of Directors and of the Executive Council of Reed Elsevier.
Mr. Nairn’s publishing career spanned more than 20 years and across a number of markets. He held positions with three major publishers before becoming CEO of Elsevier Health Sciences. From 1999 to 2000, he was President and COO of Cahners Business Information, an $800 million U.S.-based provider of magazines, data and online services, with widespread geographic locations, servicing over 16 vertical markets.
Mr. Nairn joined Cahners in 1996 as Executive Vice President in charge of the Business Publications Division, which included the magazines Restaurants & Institutions and Interior Design and the Internet portals e-inSITE and Buildingteam.com. He also had senior management responsibility for the New Product Information (NPI) and Manufacturing divisions. Mr. Nairn was responsible for managing a portfolio of over 60 business publications across nine business sectors, with total revenue in excess of $350 million.
From 1991 to 1996, Mr. Nairn was with Advanstar Communications, where he held a number of senior positions prior to becoming President of the Publishing Division in 1994, with responsibility for more than 60 titles in 12 markets. He was a key member of the management team that successfully guided Advanstar through bankruptcy and a workout to a successful sale for owner Goldman Sachs.
Born in Scotland, Mr. Nairn was educated at St. Andrews University in the UK, at Penn State University, and at the University of Iowa.
