Resume

Accomplished product designer with expertise in product strategy and feature definition, user experience, metrics and tracking, SEO, marketing, multivariate testing, product launch and optimization. Focused on innovation. Experience from startup to Fortune 500.
Skilled at implementing online products and platforms for networking, collaboration, and expertise resulting in revenue growth, scalability, and community.
Strong leadership skills demonstrated through direct management and facilitation, integrating diverse perspectives into meaningful action, using operations analytics to drive decisions, and interpersonal skills to communicate and execute on the vision.
BS, Architecture – University of Virginia // Minor in Architectural History
@michaelmayes, www.circaviso.com, circaviso.tumblr.com

EXPERIENCE
Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc. – New York, NY
Vice President, Product Development (January 2009 – present)

Manage product marketing for glgroup.com. Responsible for international roadmap and innovations; Currently transitioning site to Drupal CMS and re-launching as a media platform for expert opinion and analysis. 2mm+ unique visitors annually. (Grew unique visits 35% and qualified leads 350% in 2009)
Own new product development for glgroup.com, GLGNews, and ExpertMatters, specifically focused on lead generation and new revenues through syndicated online content products – written reports, online news feeds, blog analyses, web-casts, live meetings and presentations, and syndicated survey content.
Seek external partnerships for content delivery and integration, using APIs, XML feeds, RSS to increase GLG distribution and build reseller network.
Design and manage 80,000+ keyword SEM campaign with top-tier agency; Optimize ad groups, creative copy, and word placement to drive long-tail search conversions. Own and optimize SEO implementation to ensure best in class indexing by key search properties and online readers and aggregators.
Own multivariate (MVT and A/B) testing strategy for overall web presence. Coordinate with design team and external agency to deliver improved lead conversion funnel and visitor performance. First six months have shown 40% improvement in lead conversion and 5-20% funnel improvement across sites.
Responsible for online and email marketing to 30k+ client users, including monthly updates and ongoing direct marketing using StrongMail platform. Create marketing segmentation plans, develop copy and segmentation lists, and execute mailings and messaging rollout (internal and external).
Matrixed team of user experience, user interface, design, marketing, development, QA, and launch teams operating in Agile / Scrum framework. Responsible for user stories, product definition, UX approval, site copywriting, internal and external launch planning and execution.

Gerson Lehrman Group, Ltd. – London, UK
Vice President, EMEA, Partnerships (October 2007 – December 2008)

Manage team of six multi-lingual and multi-cultural associates with responsibility for driving growth in EMEA partnerships, consulting relationships, and executive level advisors.
Own strategy, brand, and presence for EU membership of world’s largest expert network, focusing on C-level executives in UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain; Build new business in extended EMEA regions including East Europe, Nordics, and Russia.
Deliver new business partnerships, engagements and consulting ventures for the global organization; Examples include Verdict Research, Javelin Group, Critical Eye, BVCA, EuropaBIO.
Organized conference budget and attendance and business development trips across EMEA (GSMA, World Retail Congress, Paris Airshow, Mines and Money); built over 50 new relationships with C-level executives across industry sectors; established over 10 new partnerships with key consultancies.
Experience and responsibilities across Tech, Media, Telecom, FMCG, Retail, Automotive, Industrials, Energy, Healthcare, Pharma, Financials, and Business Services.

Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc. – New York, NY
Senior Product Manager, Membership Products (January 2005 – October 2007)

Delivered process and technology enhancements to client-expert engagement tools and relaunched website for expert profile and project management. Owned product life cycle for multiple external web-based products. Built product roadmaps, financial analyses, user testing, marketing, and was responsible final product delivery.
Negotiated and formed partnerships, managed client and vendor relationships, identified opportunities for business development; performed competitive intelligence research, buy/build recommendations, acted as liaison to external groups.
Created requirements documents, wireframes, use cases, user experience documentation, launch plans, and product marketing materials.

TIAA-CREF – New York, NY
Director, Process Operations – Marketing (June 2004 – January 2005)

Managed design and implementation of marketing processes and tools for advertising, brand, sponsorships, direct mail, publications and online content.
Worked with teams to deliver on quarterly strategic goals by implementing process and project measurements and tracking.
Implemented Six Sigma measures resulting in 15-20% cost savings on marketing program delivery. Created Project Management Office (PMO) and metrics systems to manage 500+ monthly projects.
Using innovation, reinvention, DMAIC, VOC, and other consulting techniques, lead teams through ideation and analysis to identify, prioritize and deliver new operations; tracked post-implementation metrics.

Capital One – Richmond, VA
Senior Project Manager, Strategy and Innovation (May 2002 – June 2004)
Project Manager, Process Improvement (January 2001 – May 2002)
Graphic Designer, (August 1999 – January 2001)

Led cross-functional teams to design and implement processes and improvements in marketing campaign execution. Managed relationships, budgets, phased delivery, and end state design for multiple simultaneous initiatives.
Improved speed to market for new creative mail designs by 50% (est. ROI over $100mm within five years). Designed new processes using statistical analysis, focus groups, and brainstorming. Ensured success through metrics and implementation of data collection tools with automated tracking.
Operated in matrixed management organization; acted as mentor and development coach to teams; Created and presented recommendations to executive management.
Trained by former McKinsey, Bain, BCG, and Deloitte managers and executives in consulting methodologies

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

BS, Architecture, University of Virginia / Minor in Architectural History
Study Abroad, Architecture and Art History – The Art Institute of Florence (Florence, Italy)
Exec Course: Managing From the Middle, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Coursework in statistics, accounting, Virginia Commonwealth University
Six Sigma Greenbelt, Project Management and Process Design courses, Project Management Institute (PMI)

Computer proficient in MS Windows, Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio), Mac OS X, Adobe Photoshop, UNICA, SugarCRM, Google Analytics, Google Web Optimizer, HTML, CSS; Familiar with JavaScript, Ajax, PHP, MySQL, Drupal, WordPress

ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS