Today, two Toronto tech companies announced major leadership additions to their team. Here’s the latest update on who’s going where.
Sampler appoints Jonathan Penn as VP of sales
Sampler has brought on 20-year media veteran Jonathan Penn as its VP of sales.
Penn most recently acted as national sales director at New York-based Tremor Video, a video monetization software company. He’s also held senior sales roles at Amobee-owned Turn, Involved Media, TheStreet.com, and AT&T. He will join Sampler’s New York office, and expand the company’s presence in the US market.
”Sampler’s foundation has been built on the team’s deep understanding of the retail and consumer packaged goods industries. But what we’re building is so much more than product sampling,” said Marie Chevrier, founder and CEO of Sampler. “Brands leverage us to get more out of their media spend on major online publishers like Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Bringing more media expertise to the team is going to help us move faster on this major opportunity.”
Launched in 2013, Sampler’s platform allows brands to send targeted product samples to potential consumers. Brands can create a profile with product descriptions and images of the sample, define its target audience, while Sampler uses its network of publishers and communities to share offers. Sampler is available in 17 countries, and includes brands like Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, and Nestle. In October 2017, Sampler was selected to join L’Oréal and Founders Factory’s beauty tech accelerator.
“Brands don’t ‘spray and pray’ their digital media; they use robust data behind their planning and execution to ensure each impression reaches a qualified potential new consumer,” said Penn. “Why shouldn’t brands apply the same execution towards their product sampling initiatives? Using Sampler, you can now cost-effectively target the right audience and deliver them a trial of your product that increases conversion and creates loyal customers. It’s a no brainer.”
TribalScale hires VP of Sales and head of Strategic Partnerships
TribalScale has found two key executives in Theresa Smith, its new vice president of sales; and Karen Pattani-Hason, its new head of strategic partnerships.
“We are thrilled to welcome Theresa and Karen to TribalScale. They both bring a wealth of strategic expertise that will help us grow and best leverage our innovation platform, while building out our trusted partner network,” said Kirstine Stewart, president and CRO of TribalScale. “Theresa and Karen each bring their own set of skills and experiences that will greatly shape the future of TribalScale and the industries we work in.”
Both Smith and Pattani-Hason will work to accelerate sales and revenue growth, and position the company for its international expansion and strategic relationships. Smith has nearly 20 years of experience in sales and business development, including companies like Olive Media—a partnership between Torstar and Gesca—and was former director of sales for Microsoft Canada. Smith will lead and oversee the company’s sales growth, business development, and overall targeting strategies.
Pattani-Hason’s 25-year career includes marketing and strategic sales in the entertainment business, as well as mobile and digital business development with companies like Hilton, JetBlue, New York Life, Victoria’s Secret, and Island Def Jam. At TribalScale, Pattani-Hason will manage and optimize TribalScale’s strategic and technical relationships to further expand the company’s work with industry partners.
Before joining TribalScale, Pattani-Hason led global partnerships at Urban Airship, where she developed and fostered strategic relationships with leaders in the mobile and digital space.
“Theresa and Karen take us to the next level,” said Sheetal Jaitly, founder and CEO of TribalScale. “TribalScale is growing and scaling at such a quick pace and we’re constantly looking and planning ahead. By bringing on industry leaders like Karen and Theresa, we’re positioning ourselves to accelerate with solid grounding. I’m very happy they both decided to join our growing team.”
