Wiley, the Hoboken-headquartered global leader in research and education, on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jessica Kowalski as executive vice president and general manager, Research. Effective May 11, Kowalski will lead the company’s flagship Research business, succeeding Jay Flynn.
Kowalski joins Wiley from Microsoft, bringing a unique blend of deep publishing experience and high-level AI expertise. Her appointment is a clear signal of Wiley’s intent to accelerate its transition into an AI-enabled research intelligence powerhouse.
The leadership change comes as Wiley moves aggressively to capitalize on the intersection of authoritative content and artificial intelligence. Over the past two years, the company has forged strategic partnerships with major technology firms and AI innovators to integrate Wiley’s scholarly content into the development of responsible AI models.
“Jessica’s career has taken her from the heart of research publishing to the leading edge of AI transformation,” Matthew Kissner, Wiley president and CEO said. “That combination is rare, and it’s exactly what this pivotal moment requires. As we scale AI-enabled research publishing and deepen our partnerships across the global knowledge ecosystem, Jessica’s vision and operational rigor will be instrumental.”
Kowalski’s background features senior roles at some of the world’s most influential technology and information companies:
- Microsoft: Led a large-scale global services business focused on AI, data, and cloud transformation.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): Managed data and analytics partnerships for regulated information businesses.
- RELX (Elsevier & LexisNexis): Spent 11 years in leadership roles, playing a central role in transforming the business from a traditional publisher into an information analytics leader.
“Wiley’s work at the intersection of technology and published research is what transforms discovery into impact,” Kowalski said. “Every step in my career has led me here, and I’m honored to join the team at Wiley, who are building something that truly matters.”
The appointment follows Wiley’s recent naming of Armughan Rafat as Chief AI and Data Services Officer, further rounding out a leadership team focused on redefining how scientific breakthroughs are discovered and applied in a digital-first era.
