Razorsight, headquartered in Reston, named four new members to its board of advisors this week. The addition follows Razorsight’s recent launch of the industry’s first real-time predictive analytics apps available via smart phone.
The new board members are Don Upson, Patricia Gottesman, Geoff Axton and Norman Fekrat, according to a company press release.
“Razorsight continues to advance the analytics field into previously uncharted territory, giving communications and media companies the power to proactively manage the customer experience, extend customer lifetime value and drive new sources of revenue and profit,” said Charlie Thomas, Razorsight’s CEO. “With their broad range of expertise, our four new advisors bring an added dimension that will further accelerate Razorsight’s momentum and benefit our customers.”
Upson is the chief operating officer of Unicom Government. For more than 30 years Upson has held senior management positions in government and industry, all focused on management, acquisition and application of technology to government challenges.
His experience includes tenure as Virginia’s first Secretary of Technology, staff director of the House Government Operations Committee and senior vice president of PRC, which was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2000. He chairs CES Government, a public sector-focused executive conference held in partnership with International CES.
Axton is a senior executive specializing in business and operational transformation with extensive international business experience in Europe, Asia and the Americas. He is Chief Operating Officer and Finance Officer at driversselect.com, where he develops unique retail customer experiences.
Prior to that, Axton was president and chief operating officer at the Easterns Group, CEO of Cybiz, senior vice president of Corporate Finance and Business Development at PSINet and vice president of Corporate Development and Strategy at Concert Communications. Earlier in this career, Axton spent 20 years with British Telecom where he was Head of International Business Development and Alliances, having also held senior positions in international marketing, operations and product management.
Gottesman has managed startups and turnarounds over a 30-year career, as well as data analytics teams and high performance sales organizations, She’s managed the development of new digital and social media products and the profitable application of digital business models.
Gottesman serves on the board of directors of WWE, is a Trustee for the Committee for Economic Development and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors. She served as president and CEO of Harvard University’s start-up Crimson Hexagon, and held positions in operations, marketing and product management through a 28-year career at Cablevision.
Fekrat is chief strategy and revenue officer at Lemko, and an industry consultant and advisory board member for MATRIXX and CFN Services. He was previously an IBM Global Business Services lead for Smarter Networks, and a partner with Accenture’s communications and high-tech operating group.
He has advised large corporations as well as start-up organizations as they address strategy, organization and operations.
Razorsight’s Cloud-based Predictive Analytics Software is used by communications and media brands including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, Telus, Tata, Orange, CenturyLink, Windstream, IBM and Facebook.