Alex Westner

Alex Westner Email and Phone Number

Audio technologist, entrepreneur, and expert in product strategy @ Xander
Alex Westner's Location
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area, United States, United States
Alex Westner's Contact Details
About Alex Westner

I’m an audio technologist, entrepreneur, and expert in product strategy. My company, Xander, is developing augmented listening products to help people with hearing loss. For over twenty years, working within the audio industry, I developed award-winning products that analyze and enhance speech and music. Xander brings together my passion for audio tech and my product strategy skills. My lifelong passion for audio crystallized when I joined iZotope, a leading audio-technology company. A core part of the leadership team at iZotope, I led business development and product strategy. Because of my expertise in audio tech, I became product lead for RX, a software tool described as “Photoshop for sound.” Under my leadership, RX won several awards within the industry, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development. Helping shape the product that reduces noise and enhances speech provides a strong foundation for my vision/work with Xander.After six years at iZotope, I became VP of Product Strategy and Innovation at Cakewalk, a subsidiary of Gibson. This role drove me to learn and apply lean startup and design thinking methodologies, while launching two new initiatives in VR and multi-platform music production via desktop, mobile and cloud. Now, at Fidelity Labs, I am the Head of Product for a team of 20 developing a FinTech platform for sustainable and responsible investing. Before embarking on my career, I earned an MS from the MIT Media Lab working on acoustics and audio signal processing. My research focused on the “cocktail party effect”—the human brain's ability to focus on one sound while filtering out other competing noises. I worked to develop algorithms to enable computers to isolate and understand sounds, mimicking the human ear. That research provides the underpinning for my product concepts at Xander. Hearing aids and cochlear implants are not enough when noises, sounds, and other people talking compete for attention. Xander’s mission is to eliminate the functional, emotional, and social obstacles caused by hearing loss.

Alex Westner's Current Company Details
Xander

Xander

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Audio technologist, entrepreneur, and expert in product strategy
Alex Westner Work Experience Details
  • Xander
    Chief Executive Officer
    Xander Feb 2020 - Present
    Somerville, Ma, Us
    Caption Glasses to help people with hearing loss. Our glasses show real-time captions of in-person conversations, right in your field of view.
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  • Fidelity Investments
    Vice President Of Product Management
    Fidelity Investments Dec 2020 - Jan 2023
    Boston, Ma, Us
    Product Lead for an internal startup within Fidelity Labs, developing a software platform for ESG investing
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  • Fidelity Investments
    Director Of Product Management
    Fidelity Investments Jan 2018 - Dec 2020
    Boston, Ma, Us
    Product Lead for an internal startup within Fidelity Labs, developing a software platform for ESG investing
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  • Spark23 Ltd
    President
    Spark23 Ltd Jul 2016 - Feb 2020
    Founded a consulting company providing services for audio, music and VR/AR: customer development, B2C/B2B sales & marketing, strategic analysis, product roadmaps, and lean innovation.
  • Project Bar-B-Q
    Technical Advisor
    Project Bar-B-Q Mar 2017 - Mar 2018
    Austin, Us
    Member of Project Bar-B-Q Technical Advisory Board
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  • Cakewalk
    Vp Product Strategy & Innovation
    Cakewalk Oct 2016 - Nov 2017
    Singapore, Sg
    Brought the company together by establishing a clear vision & direction, leading weekly informational gatherings, and setting up new collaborative processes for multiple groups. Aligned Cakewalk around a new set of product strategies, failing fast, and upgrading an existing initiative into a more viable option that has quickly become our biggest opportunity of the year, with a brand-new multi-device software platform released in October 2017, as well as a Virtual Reality music app, unreleased before Gibson closed Cakewalk. Refreshed internal processes and external positioning for SONAR, Cakewalk's flagship product line; aligned all internal functions in creating and maintaining a product feature roadmap that is based on shared goals and optimizing ROI. Ran Cakewalk's first ever Design Sprint, closely aligning a cross-departmental group of 8 people from business model to product solutions to prototypes to live customer feedback - in 1 week - what would have taken months otherwise.  Practicing Lean Innovation, we developed a brand new product in just 7 months. Established new product positioning for SONAR, the company's flagship product line, overhauled and simplified SONAR upgrade & renew pricing, and set up a regular content marketing calendar, striving for consistency and efficiency. Created marketing strategy, messaging strategy, creative strategy, and content marketing calendar for Momentum, the world's first fully-native iOS/Android/Mac/Win/VST/AU/AAX music platform, launched in October 2017.Using the Net Promoter Score system, we regularly surveyed new customers, and customers who interacted with Cakewalk Support, analyzed the results, followed-up with customers, and took aggressive action to make changes in the company.  As a result, we boosted our NPS score by 20 points since we started, and the company rallied around customer satisfaction as a goal.
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  • Izotope, Inc.
    Director Of Product Strategy
    Izotope, Inc. Jun 2015 - Jul 2016
    Boston, Massachusetts, Us
    Developed iZotope's short-term and long-term product strategies, in collaboration with Leadership / Executive Team. Utilized lean customer development strategies to make smart investments in innovative products to open up new markets. Managed the Product Management team to create detailed product plans that spanned desktop software, mobile apps, hardware, and cloud. Introduced and moderated company-wide innovation (hackathon-like) events, improving morale and injecting new ideas into every aspect of the organization. Oversaw a company-wide change initiative from being product-focused company to being customer-focused, aligning the entire organization around target personas.
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  • Izotope, Inc.
    Director Of Product Management
    Izotope, Inc. Feb 2013 - Jun 2015
    Boston, Massachusetts, Us
    Managed a team of Product Managers, Product Designers and Sound Designers, whose responsibilities spanned product management, product marketing, sound design and UI/UX design.Collaborated with the Leadership / Executive Team to develop product strategies and product roadmaps for multiple markets.Shipped products spanning desktop software applications, plug-ins, and mobile apps. Introduced and integrated customer development and lean methodologies into practice.
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  • Izotope, Inc.
    Director Of Business Development
    Izotope, Inc. May 2011 - Jan 2013
    Boston, Massachusetts, Us
    Headed iZotope's cross-functional technology licensing team.Developed business and product development strategies for technology licensing. Closed dozens of licensing deals spanning several markets – including video games (Microsoft, Audiokinetic), mobile apps (Smule), broadcast (Telestream, SADiE), DJ (Serato), consumer video (Sony, TechSmith) and professional audio (Akai, Blue Microphones) – delivering native software and embedded DSP to customers worldwide.
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  • Izotope, Inc.
    Business Development Manager
    Izotope, Inc. Mar 2010 - May 2011
    Boston, Massachusetts, Us
    Launched iZotope's technology licensing program.Drove all B2B sales, including pipeline management, account management, and international business.Maintained the company's Salesforce database, used to manage all accounts and opportunities, including forecasting.Integrated agile methodologies into licensing product development.
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  • Cakewalk
    Director Of Product Management
    Cakewalk Aug 2006 - Mar 2010
    Singapore, Sg
    Mentored the Product Management team in their day-to-day activities. Collaborated with the Executive Management team on strategic product planning. Responsible for developing and executing on the company's product roadmap. Continued to serve as Product Manager for Cakewalk's flagship products.
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  • Cakewalk
    Product Manager
    Cakewalk Feb 2003 - Aug 2006
    Singapore, Sg
    Oversaw product development for Cakewalk PYRO and SONAR 4 through the beginnings of SONAR X1.Designed and managed professional audio & consumer electronics software, from cradle to grave.Delivered detailed feature & UI/UX specifications, press & marketing materials, and communications.Developed strategic technology partnerships and integrated 3rd party technologies.
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  • Wave Arts
    Vp Marketing & Product Development
    Wave Arts Feb 2001 - Feb 2003
    Directed and implemented marketing & product development strategies for professional audio effects plug-ins and digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms for commercial applications.Collaborated with the founder to develop business strategies and product strategies.
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  • Mit Media Lab
    Audio Technology Consultant
    Mit Media Lab Jan 1999 - Sep 2000
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    Co-created four voice-interactive music installations.Programmed a dozen digital audio effects.Supervised on-site software development & maintenance for a permanent museum exhibit in Vienna.
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  • Merl
    Digital Audio Research Consultant
    Merl Sep 1999 - May 2000
    Cambridge, Ma, Us
    Co-developed music genre classification software for the MPEG–7 standard.Co-authored a paper presented at the International Computer Music Conference in Berlin (8/2000).
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  • Mit Media Lab
    Research Assistant
    Mit Media Lab Jun 1996 - Oct 1998
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    Researched and developed a DSP tool for isolating acoustically-mixed sounds.Authored & presented papers at the 1st Independent Components Analysis conference (1/1999), and at an Audio Engineering Society convention (3/1999).
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Alex Westner Skills

Product Management Product Development Sound Product Marketing Business Development Strategic Partnerships Music Software Development Professional Audio Marketing Strategy Agile Methodologies Cross Functional Team Leadership User Experience New Business Development Business Strategy Strategic Planning Management Music Production Software Design Team Leadership Sales Management Account Management Software Project Management Sales Mobile Applications International Business Salesforce.com User Interface Leadership Consumer Electronics Audio Dsp Product Innovation Strategy Development Lean Software Development Lean Thinking Strategic Customer Development Business Modeling Innovation Management Innovation Development Product Strategy Customer Relationship Management Swot Analysis Trend Analysis Tableau Consumer Products Business Analysis Marketo Marketing Automation

Alex Westner Education Details

  • Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
    Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
    Media Arts And Sciences
  • Rutgers University
    Rutgers University
    Electrical Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions about Alex Westner

What company does Alex Westner work for?

Alex Westner works for Xander

What is Alex Westner's role at the current company?

Alex Westner's current role is Audio technologist, entrepreneur, and expert in product strategy.

What is Alex Westner's email address?

Alex Westner's email address is al****@****ail.com

What is Alex Westner's direct phone number?

Alex Westner's direct phone number is +161752*****

What schools did Alex Westner attend?

Alex Westner attended Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Rutgers University.

What skills is Alex Westner known for?

Alex Westner has skills like Product Management, Product Development, Sound, Product Marketing, Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, Music, Software Development, Professional Audio, Marketing, Strategy, Agile Methodologies.

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