Meredith Amdur

Led all functional operations of publicly-traded SaaS analytics provider (TSX:WAN.V) headquartered in Quebec City and New York. Company provides online big data analytics platform, tools and embedded data solutions to customers including Fortune 1000 HR professionals, staffing companies, credit services, buy-side financial services, and state and local governments. WANTED Analytics (Now part of CEB TalentNeuron) was/is the leading big data market insights and predictive analysis tool for recruiters.

• Achieved 10x increase in market capitalization in 6 years since serving on board and as CEO
• Increased revenue growth rate by over 50% in first year, including a 62% YoY jump in corporate sales and increased average contract value up 35% year (while maintaining 89% renewal rates and annual net profit)
• Expanded geographic footprint of B2B service from two to 22 world territories (spanning Americas, Europe, Asia)
• Built marketing function and expanded and re-designed global sales and re-seller organization
• Formulated and executed on strategy that culminated in profitable exit to Corporate Executive Board [NYSE: CEB] in November, 2015, a 60% premium to public share price • Post- acquisition, supervising integration with CEB, including interim leadership of sales and product organizations

Independent director and member of WAN compensation committee. Named CEO (and exec. Director) October 2014.

Managed digital product strategy and planning for leading satellite pay TV operator. Led team that identifies and develops new products and business opportunities. Led cross functional organizations driving OTT platform development and new niche content and on-demand content services.

• Developed OTT video service for Hispanic market and led cross-functional team (engineering, programming, marketing, design) in developing the product/content strategy and business plan for general market OTT services
• Led M&A efforts exploring, valuing and leading up to offer to acquire leading online TV service (Hulu) and on efforts leading to the acquisition by AT&T (and subsequent integration efforts)

Head of strategic planning and development for consumer online businesses (Bing, MSN, Microsoft Advertising). Reporting to divisional CFO and directly supporting online product group president. Responsible for divisional business and technology strategy formulation. Identified acquisition targets and opportunities to leverage search assets with application developers and in the enterprise. Identified and evaluated opportunities for new business extensions in social and vertical content applications and services (social, geospatial/mapping and mobile), forging new alliances, identifying, evaluating M&A prospects. Served as business lead for Bing Fund; developed platform-based search technology strategy, mapping strategy, Windows ads-in-apps and cost reduction initiatives.

Led diverse teams of development, design and business focused on early stage new product ventures for internal Microsoft incubator. Collaborated extensively with Microsoft Research globally to commercialize technology R&D projects across Microsoft’s portfolio, spanning Azure cloud platform, Bing search and the Office productivity suite. Successfully incubated data visualization and big data analytics solutions onto product roadmaps and developed industry view points and strategic recommendations on Natural User Interaction technologies (NUI), mobile cloud services and Windows SoC applications.

Led team responsible for divisional corporate strategy, competitive analysis and forecasting/planning across Microsoft’s $8 billion portfolio of digital entertainment, gaming, consumer PC hardware and mobile communications products. Reported to division CFO and directly supported divisional President and Microsoft executive leadership team.

• Drove strategy resulting in new focus on Live Services and subscription models. Competitive insights and portfolio evaluation across a range of consumer hardware, software and services business units (Xbox, Windows Phone, Windows Embedded, PC Hardware, MSTV, Zune, Windows Media). Built business case for hardware prototypes
• Managed annual divisional strategic planning process for Microsoft executive leadership
• Supported corporate development opportunity identification of potential partnership and acquisition targets.
• Conducted all business and financial evaluation of new products, driving exploration into new mobile hardware devices, OEM strategy and pricing, and business models for application development
• Founded internal venture/incubation lab; Created and successfully launched an M2M (Internet of Things) business incubation into Windows Embedded group

As Director of Strategy for Xbox, created growth plan to expand the audience and profitability of the Xbox and Xbox Live platform, including addition of community gaming, social media integration and video/entertainment services. Drove next-generation console planning, created Xbox Live strategic growth plan, and initiated expanded partnership opportunities with OTT video services and U.S. cable and telecom carriers.

Managed and co-led $10 million+ in client engagement sales in strategy and operations related work through client relationships, presentation and proposal development, and deal negotiations. Industry thought-leader on the media & entertainment sector and digital media and telecom convergence topics, authoring white papers and presentations to internal and client audiences.

• Created product development process and preliminary media distribution plan for U.S. wireless telecom service provider serving 15M+ subscribers. Developed mobile content distribution strategy, identifying key partners and negotiating terms. Served as acting product manager to help craft new internal team to drive new 4G business
• Developed transformational global digital media strategy and execution planning for a multibillion dollar U.S.-based cable program network with operations across four continents. Identified critical social media and aggregation components and acquisition targets
• Project leader for enterprise cost reduction effort that identified over $100 million in cost savings for a major Internet company.

Managed all editorial (print and web) operations of New York City bureau of leading entertainment industry trade publication and related web sites. Served as lead business writer/editor and columnist, analyzing the major media/tech conglomerates transition from analog to digital, covering all major TV, film market segments.

Conference moderator and speaker for industry events covering film financing, broadband development and cable and satellite TV. Guest commentator on TV and radio outlets including MSNBC, BBC, Good Morning America

Based in Paris, France and NYC, launched and led media and entertainment industry practice for Paris-based strategy consulting firm serving satellite industry clients and major cable content providers and distributors. Conducted industry research and planning studies on behalf of leading satellite and TV industry clients, including Eutelsat, Intelsat, Nickelodeon, RAI (Italy), Hyundai, Invidex and A&E Network.

Co-founder and editorial director of business information research publisher (acquired by Informa PLC in 1999) providing financial and market research intelligence and analysis of the international video, Internet, broadband and mobile telecommunications industries. Created and published 10 (print and online) financial newsletters, research reports and database services covering serving investors and enterprise customers in Europe, Asia and Latin America.