Stuart Woods
Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at Quantum Exponential- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Kevin Cordeiro
There isn't much that hasn't been said about what a great leader and colleague Stuart is. I worked with Stuart for a few years at Leica Geosystems and he has always been a great leader and a friend. Building a business with a personal branding is i think what Stuart does really well. I remember always feeling the support even from halfway around the world. His meetings were always well organised and extremely well thought out and inspiring. I have learned a lot and I hope our paths cross again.
Aldo Facchin
A lot of people have a boss, but how many of us met a real leader in their reporting line? My company was acquired by Leica Geosystems and Stuart was assigned to drive the new business unit, so he became our boss. He drove us to scale from a 20 years old small company mindset to large multinational company culture, and build a team around the acquired company to bring the business from zero to tens of million euros in few years, with regular double-digit growth per year. His coaching skills, combined with a killer mix of quarter revenues attention and long term vision and strategy put everybody in the team in the condition to feel part of a great story and at the same time to feel that the business is driven by somebody that knows how to "just do it". You don't have to understand why things are happening in that way or need to understand all the details...because Stuart is driving the ship and you are sure that he knows how to do to make the business grow. I found in Stuart the ability to empower every team member and make him/her respectable and I don't remember any single case that might remotely resemble micromanagement... Everyone should have the experience of working with Stuart. If you are an enterpreneur that want to make your startup fly, or you want a re-start or you are a giant public company that want to expand into a new business, Stuart is the executive you need. The team he will build will never forget the experience and they will work with passion and professionality because these are the keyword, for me, that describes best the working environment that Stuart can create....and your financial quarters will always be safe with him.
Kevin Cordeiro
There isn't much that hasn't been said about what a great leader and colleague Stuart is. I worked with Stuart for a few years at Leica Geosystems and he has always been a great leader and a friend. Building a business with a personal branding is i think what Stuart does really well. I remember always feeling the support even from halfway around the world. His meetings were always well organised and extremely well thought out and inspiring. I have learned a lot and I hope our paths cross again.
Aldo Facchin
A lot of people have a boss, but how many of us met a real leader in their reporting line? My company was acquired by Leica Geosystems and Stuart was assigned to drive the new business unit, so he became our boss. He drove us to scale from a 20 years old small company mindset to large multinational company culture, and build a team around the acquired company to bring the business from zero to tens of million euros in few years, with regular double-digit growth per year. His coaching skills, combined with a killer mix of quarter revenues attention and long term vision and strategy put everybody in the team in the condition to feel part of a great story and at the same time to feel that the business is driven by somebody that knows how to "just do it". You don't have to understand why things are happening in that way or need to understand all the details...because Stuart is driving the ship and you are sure that he knows how to do to make the business grow. I found in Stuart the ability to empower every team member and make him/her respectable and I don't remember any single case that might remotely resemble micromanagement... Everyone should have the experience of working with Stuart. If you are an enterpreneur that want to make your startup fly, or you want a re-start or you are a giant public company that want to expand into a new business, Stuart is the executive you need. The team he will build will never forget the experience and they will work with passion and professionality because these are the keyword, for me, that describes best the working environment that Stuart can create....and your financial quarters will always be safe with him.
Kevin Cordeiro
There isn't much that hasn't been said about what a great leader and colleague Stuart is. I worked with Stuart for a few years at Leica Geosystems and he has always been a great leader and a friend. Building a business with a personal branding is i think what Stuart does really well. I remember always feeling the support even from halfway around the world. His meetings were always well organised and extremely well thought out and inspiring. I have learned a lot and I hope our paths cross again.
Aldo Facchin
A lot of people have a boss, but how many of us met a real leader in their reporting line? My company was acquired by Leica Geosystems and Stuart was assigned to drive the new business unit, so he became our boss. He drove us to scale from a 20 years old small company mindset to large multinational company culture, and build a team around the acquired company to bring the business from zero to tens of million euros in few years, with regular double-digit growth per year. His coaching skills, combined with a killer mix of quarter revenues attention and long term vision and strategy put everybody in the team in the condition to feel part of a great story and at the same time to feel that the business is driven by somebody that knows how to "just do it". You don't have to understand why things are happening in that way or need to understand all the details...because Stuart is driving the ship and you are sure that he knows how to do to make the business grow. I found in Stuart the ability to empower every team member and make him/her respectable and I don't remember any single case that might remotely resemble micromanagement... Everyone should have the experience of working with Stuart. If you are an enterpreneur that want to make your startup fly, or you want a re-start or you are a giant public company that want to expand into a new business, Stuart is the executive you need. The team he will build will never forget the experience and they will work with passion and professionality because these are the keyword, for me, that describes best the working environment that Stuart can create....and your financial quarters will always be safe with him.
Kevin Cordeiro
There isn't much that hasn't been said about what a great leader and colleague Stuart is. I worked with Stuart for a few years at Leica Geosystems and he has always been a great leader and a friend. Building a business with a personal branding is i think what Stuart does really well. I remember always feeling the support even from halfway around the world. His meetings were always well organised and extremely well thought out and inspiring. I have learned a lot and I hope our paths cross again.
Aldo Facchin
A lot of people have a boss, but how many of us met a real leader in their reporting line? My company was acquired by Leica Geosystems and Stuart was assigned to drive the new business unit, so he became our boss. He drove us to scale from a 20 years old small company mindset to large multinational company culture, and build a team around the acquired company to bring the business from zero to tens of million euros in few years, with regular double-digit growth per year. His coaching skills, combined with a killer mix of quarter revenues attention and long term vision and strategy put everybody in the team in the condition to feel part of a great story and at the same time to feel that the business is driven by somebody that knows how to "just do it". You don't have to understand why things are happening in that way or need to understand all the details...because Stuart is driving the ship and you are sure that he knows how to do to make the business grow. I found in Stuart the ability to empower every team member and make him/her respectable and I don't remember any single case that might remotely resemble micromanagement... Everyone should have the experience of working with Stuart. If you are an enterpreneur that want to make your startup fly, or you want a re-start or you are a giant public company that want to expand into a new business, Stuart is the executive you need. The team he will build will never forget the experience and they will work with passion and professionality because these are the keyword, for me, that describes best the working environment that Stuart can create....and your financial quarters will always be safe with him.
Experience
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Quantum Exponential
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United Kingdom
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Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
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1 - 100 Employee
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Chief Operating and Strategy Officer
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Apr 2023 - Present
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The Quantum Insider
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Canada
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Business Intelligence Platforms
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1 - 100 Employee
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Business Strategy Adviser to Board
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Sep 2022 - Present
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Oxford Instruments plc
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United Kingdom
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Nanotechnology Research
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700 & Above Employee
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Managing Director
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Sep 2020 - Apr 2023
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Executive Board Member
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Sep 2020 - Apr 2023
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Hexagon Geosystems
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Switzerland
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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400 - 500 Employee
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Vice President, Survey Solutions
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Feb 2019 - Jul 2020
• Managed mobile mapping overlay, matrixed sales team to achieve 2019-2020 multiple-million euro revenue goals. • Managed support team, customer issues to maintain multiple-million euro annual reoccurring revenue with significant double digit CAGR. • Recommended and monitored M&A targets for division. • Consulted on market growth options for BLK2GO – hand-held reality capture device. • Wrote Divisional Messaging Framework to bring together Digital Twin and Reality Capture… Show more • Managed mobile mapping overlay, matrixed sales team to achieve 2019-2020 multiple-million euro revenue goals. • Managed support team, customer issues to maintain multiple-million euro annual reoccurring revenue with significant double digit CAGR. • Recommended and monitored M&A targets for division. • Consulted on market growth options for BLK2GO – hand-held reality capture device. • Wrote Divisional Messaging Framework to bring together Digital Twin and Reality Capture strategies. • Led synergistic cross-Hexagon-divisional sales project in rail market. • Created divisional salesforce.com trend sales reports to monitor regional quarterly sales during pandemic to allow tactical business planning. • Managed multiple-million euro mobile mapping inventory including production planning/purchasing.
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Vice President - Mobile Mapping, Geospatial Content Solutions Division
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Feb 2013 - Feb 2019
• Started and led the global Mobile Mapping business unit from €0 to tens of million euros in 5 years with a double digit CAGR. Leveraged Leica’s channel width for revenue growth while pushing key product and SW releases. • Managed complex overlay, matrixed sales team to achieve revenue goals. • Successfully acquired and integrated Geosoft Srl, Technet-rail 2010 GmbH, and P3D Systems GmbH to add key people-talent, drive scale, and IP to achieve business growth. • Led teams in… Show more • Started and led the global Mobile Mapping business unit from €0 to tens of million euros in 5 years with a double digit CAGR. Leveraged Leica’s channel width for revenue growth while pushing key product and SW releases. • Managed complex overlay, matrixed sales team to achieve revenue goals. • Successfully acquired and integrated Geosoft Srl, Technet-rail 2010 GmbH, and P3D Systems GmbH to add key people-talent, drive scale, and IP to achieve business growth. • Led teams in hardware and software development in Italy, Germany, & Switzerland. Defined strategic roadmap which continues to be executed today – including SLAM positioning, automated feature extraction for rail and road, OpenDrive format for autonomous, and AI. • Led mobile capture platform launches, wrote sales and messaging frameworks. Including the award-winning Leica Pegasus:Backpack, a wearable mobile platform that captures data indoors and outdoors; Pegasus:Two; and SiTrack:One.
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Velodyne Lidar
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United States
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Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
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100 - 200 Employee
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Executive Vice President and General Manager - LiDAR and Audio Divisions
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2012 - 2013
• Closed multiple-million dollar LiDAR IP licensing deal with Caterpillar resulting in millions of funding at signing. • Closed multiple-million dollar supply contract with HERE while managing to be "designed-in" at Microsoft (BING) for TRUE3 vehicles. • Developed strong strategic market understanding of LiDAR sensors for mapping & autonomous vehicles. • Successfully recruited marketing and engineering talent to shore-up business. • Executed tactical business processes around… Show more • Closed multiple-million dollar LiDAR IP licensing deal with Caterpillar resulting in millions of funding at signing. • Closed multiple-million dollar supply contract with HERE while managing to be "designed-in" at Microsoft (BING) for TRUE3 vehicles. • Developed strong strategic market understanding of LiDAR sensors for mapping & autonomous vehicles. • Successfully recruited marketing and engineering talent to shore-up business. • Executed tactical business processes around financial planning and forecasting. • Reduced Audio inventory by 25% and consolidated three locations to one. • Led executive engineering focus in LiDAR to get key programs on track. • Led LiDAR product engineering to complete HDL-32 v2.0 with focus on LiDAR calibration including distance and reflectivity. • Drove specification process, internal and external, for next gen automotive LiDAR sensor including leading direct meetings with tier 1 automotive makers and suppliers. • Responsible for general management of the company including P&L responsibility / balance sheet. Show less • Closed multiple-million dollar LiDAR IP licensing deal with Caterpillar resulting in millions of funding at signing. • Closed multiple-million dollar supply contract with HERE while managing to be "designed-in" at Microsoft (BING) for TRUE3 vehicles. • Developed strong strategic market understanding of LiDAR sensors for mapping & autonomous vehicles. • Successfully recruited marketing and engineering talent to shore-up business. • Executed tactical business processes around… Show more • Closed multiple-million dollar LiDAR IP licensing deal with Caterpillar resulting in millions of funding at signing. • Closed multiple-million dollar supply contract with HERE while managing to be "designed-in" at Microsoft (BING) for TRUE3 vehicles. • Developed strong strategic market understanding of LiDAR sensors for mapping & autonomous vehicles. • Successfully recruited marketing and engineering talent to shore-up business. • Executed tactical business processes around financial planning and forecasting. • Reduced Audio inventory by 25% and consolidated three locations to one. • Led executive engineering focus in LiDAR to get key programs on track. • Led LiDAR product engineering to complete HDL-32 v2.0 with focus on LiDAR calibration including distance and reflectivity. • Drove specification process, internal and external, for next gen automotive LiDAR sensor including leading direct meetings with tier 1 automotive makers and suppliers. • Responsible for general management of the company including P&L responsibility / balance sheet. Show less
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Coherent Laser
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United States
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Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
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700 & Above Employee
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Director/General Manager - Direct Diode/Fiber Systems Business Unit
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2009 - 2012
• Focused resources and refined strategy to maximize revenue growth. • Led focus on key applications in FRIT (plastic) Welding in AMOLED displays, laser cladding, heat treating, cutting, and medical. Lead customers included Caterpillar and SAMSUNG Mobile Display. • Responsible for Coherent's high power fiber laser product development and strategy. • Responsible for diverse product portfolio from fluorescent lighting to medical optical assemblies to bulk optical fiber to low power and… Show more • Focused resources and refined strategy to maximize revenue growth. • Led focus on key applications in FRIT (plastic) Welding in AMOLED displays, laser cladding, heat treating, cutting, and medical. Lead customers included Caterpillar and SAMSUNG Mobile Display. • Responsible for Coherent's high power fiber laser product development and strategy. • Responsible for diverse product portfolio from fluorescent lighting to medical optical assemblies to bulk optical fiber to low power and kW diode systems. • Grew business from 2 to 67 employees in 18 months. • >90% of revenue did not exist before business unit was created. • Successfully integrated four businesses from two acquisitions and three locations. • Completed record business system integration in ~3 months. • Full operational responsibility for three sites - one site included full optical fiber manufacturing from preform to fiber assemblies. • Responsible for operations (including planning/purchasing), manufacturing engineering, R&D, product management/product marketing, service, inside sales, business development; Finance and HR matrix reporting; full P&L responsibility.
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Director of Strategic Marketing
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2007 - 2009
• Led technology strategy for material processing. • Participated in M&A reviews and due diligence. • Lead 1 and 3 year strategic plan development and implementation for material processing. • Provided and maintained market summaries and portfolio reviews for public reporting. • Developed and maintained global alignment around material processing market strategy.
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Monxton Limited
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Southampton, UK
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Consultant
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2006 - 2007
• Provided patent landscape search, product marketing, product management, M&A support, and technical marketing for tier 1 laser and systems manufacturers. • Developed and delivered business plan for defense market entry for late stage VC-backed company. • General laser technology market summaries and reviews for tier 1 CEOs and technology-focused VCs. • Provided patent landscape search, product marketing, product management, M&A support, and technical marketing for tier 1 laser and systems manufacturers. • Developed and delivered business plan for defense market entry for late stage VC-backed company. • General laser technology market summaries and reviews for tier 1 CEOs and technology-focused VCs.
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SPI Lasers
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United Kingdom
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Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Vice President, Business Development
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2006 - 2006
• Managed SPI’s $4M defense contracts as business unit with revenue and profits targets resulting in SPI meeting market expectations in 2006. Included direct energy activities.
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Director / Vice President, Business Development
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2001 - 2006
• Operational responsibility for pulsed laser product including development, transfer to production, inventory, supplier commitments, initial lead-customer sales. Negotiated and signed contracts in Japan, Korea, and UK resulting in initial backlog of $4.8M. 1st year sales >$9M. • Technical Advisory Board to Board of Directors – advised on technology/market changes. • Teamed with SPI’s CFO and CEO to develop IPO strategy – successfully raised ~$24M in Oct 2005 on AIM. Wrote IPO… Show more • Operational responsibility for pulsed laser product including development, transfer to production, inventory, supplier commitments, initial lead-customer sales. Negotiated and signed contracts in Japan, Korea, and UK resulting in initial backlog of $4.8M. 1st year sales >$9M. • Technical Advisory Board to Board of Directors – advised on technology/market changes. • Teamed with SPI’s CFO and CEO to develop IPO strategy – successfully raised ~$24M in Oct 2005 on AIM. Wrote IPO prospectus and worked directly with legal and third parties on due diligence for IPO and three fund raising rounds. Developed, maintained, and presented product market data for IPO and analysts. • Teamed with SPI’s CEO to gain senior relationships at a large competitor and negotiated £600k contract for development of high power technology with potential OEM relationship. • Established distribution sales channel in Korea and Japan resulting in ~10% of WW sales. • Identified and implemented, as an earlier adopter, Salesforce.com, as CRM tool. • Identified, developed, and then teamed with SPI’s CEO to negotiate SpectraPhysics >£1M contract OEM relationship. • Teamed with SPI’s CEO on M&A strategy and analysis. • Identified and developed strategic funding network through Washington consultant. • Led business in defense utilizing industrial product platform to target low hanging synergistic sales. • Developed senior contacts in new market to assist in the development of product specifications and strategy validation. • Worked directly with SPI’s CEO to find new market outside telecom. Developed and presented product market data of new strategy to board of directors, potential new investors, and external market. Continued to update board of directors on new strategy, market, and product direction. Re-focused the sales and marketing team to new market. Re-tooled sales team to new market. Assisted in hiring new VP Sales. • Laser Apparatus for Material Processing Patent, Issued 2004 GB0403945.9
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Cisco
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United States
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Software Development
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700 & Above Employee
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Manager, Product Marketing
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2000 - 2001
• Managed and lead 30+ team including product marketing and management, and technical publications. • Hired, developed, and led Photonics Product Marketing team of 12 to triple the number of customers and double revenue to $300M in 12 months. Full marketing operational responsibilities from sales training to pricing for release introductions. • Successfully relocated and retained team in transfer from Columbia, SC to Dallas, TX. • Prioritized & championed Cisco’s Next-Gen DWDM… Show more • Managed and lead 30+ team including product marketing and management, and technical publications. • Hired, developed, and led Photonics Product Marketing team of 12 to triple the number of customers and double revenue to $300M in 12 months. Full marketing operational responsibilities from sales training to pricing for release introductions. • Successfully relocated and retained team in transfer from Columbia, SC to Dallas, TX. • Prioritized & championed Cisco’s Next-Gen DWDM. Participated on Cisco/Corning joint marketing team. • Responsible for operations including booking and demand forecasting, risk management of $140M+ inventory. Show less • Managed and lead 30+ team including product marketing and management, and technical publications. • Hired, developed, and led Photonics Product Marketing team of 12 to triple the number of customers and double revenue to $300M in 12 months. Full marketing operational responsibilities from sales training to pricing for release introductions. • Successfully relocated and retained team in transfer from Columbia, SC to Dallas, TX. • Prioritized & championed Cisco’s Next-Gen DWDM… Show more • Managed and lead 30+ team including product marketing and management, and technical publications. • Hired, developed, and led Photonics Product Marketing team of 12 to triple the number of customers and double revenue to $300M in 12 months. Full marketing operational responsibilities from sales training to pricing for release introductions. • Successfully relocated and retained team in transfer from Columbia, SC to Dallas, TX. • Prioritized & championed Cisco’s Next-Gen DWDM. Participated on Cisco/Corning joint marketing team. • Responsible for operations including booking and demand forecasting, risk management of $140M+ inventory. Show less
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Pirelli
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Italy
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Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
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700 & Above Employee
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Director, Product Marketing
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2000 - 2000
• Cisco/Pirelli Integration Team Lead for NA market segment. • Responsible for hiring, developing product marketing and local product line team.
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Senior Product Manager
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1998 - 2000
• Managed the product launch/industrialization of Pirelli’s DWDM WaveMux Platform in NA. • Developed tailored support for Global Crossing $200M+ contract. • Responsible for feature launches. Including PR, literature, presentations, tradeshow demos, and pricing. • Product line management responsibility for DWDM product line including pricing strategy, product literature, bid responses, trade show support, sales and customer service support, product roadmap, & product training… Show more • Managed the product launch/industrialization of Pirelli’s DWDM WaveMux Platform in NA. • Developed tailored support for Global Crossing $200M+ contract. • Responsible for feature launches. Including PR, literature, presentations, tradeshow demos, and pricing. • Product line management responsibility for DWDM product line including pricing strategy, product literature, bid responses, trade show support, sales and customer service support, product roadmap, & product training direction. • Supported field sales teams through technical customer visits.
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Senior Product Manager
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1996 - 1998
• Led Pirelli’s $6M business entry into optical interconnect market. Responsible for hiring team, developing operations, and business profitability. Managed >$900k budget. • Lead marketing contact for Corning. Established joint marketing data exchange forums. Built a strong strategic supplier/partnering environment with Corning. • Responsible for pricing approval that lead to $200 M+ profitable sales in loose tube optical cable. • Led marketing team for utilities market entry and… Show more • Led Pirelli’s $6M business entry into optical interconnect market. Responsible for hiring team, developing operations, and business profitability. Managed >$900k budget. • Lead marketing contact for Corning. Established joint marketing data exchange forums. Built a strong strategic supplier/partnering environment with Corning. • Responsible for pricing approval that lead to $200 M+ profitable sales in loose tube optical cable. • Led marketing team for utilities market entry and vertical product integration into DWDM business unit.
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AFL
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United States
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Telecommunications
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700 & Above Employee
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Business Development Manager/Business Unit Manager
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1995 - 1996
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Technical Account Manager
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1993 - 1995
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Design and Applications Engineer
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1990 - 1993
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Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
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United States
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Telecommunications
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1 - 100 Employee
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Development engineer – Fiber Cable Group
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1989 - 1990
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Raychem, now TE Connectivity
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Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Material Testing Engineer
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1989 - 1989
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Education
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1984 - 1989
North Carolina State University
BS, Chemistry, minor in English -
North Carolina State University
Post-baccalaureate, Organic Chemistry
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