Benson Chan

Benson Chan Email and Phone Number

Innovation catalyst and practitioner | IoT | AI | Emerging Technologies | Smart Cities | Digital Enterprises @ Strategy of Things
Benson Chan's Location
San Francisco Bay Area, United States, United States
Benson Chan's Contact Details
About Benson Chan

I’m a passionate futurist, dreamer and innovator building a better tomorrow. I’ve been on a 25+ year journey scaling innovative businesses and technologies for Fortune 500 and start-up companies. I’ve spent the last six years of this journey on IoT and emerging technologies, with a focus on smart. responsive, and resilient cities, buildings and industrial IoT. My areas of expertise include IoT, smart cities, innovation management and commercialization, strategy and planning, and market development.I co-founded Strategy of Things, an innovation company, to apply science, breakthrough strategies and disruptive emerging technologies to build smarter, responsive and resilient cities, communities, and businesses. We offer a portfolio of innovation services - strategy and planning, project execution, research and scaling and operationalization. Since 2017, Strategy of Things has:- Received an award to design and implement a smart corridor in San Mateo County in 2021- Our safe space framework was named top 5 solutions in the world impacting cities post-COVID by StartUs Insights in 2021- Launched a Smart City Internship program for high school students interested in STEM careers- Received a federal research grant from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology to identify IoT technology infrastructure gaps and recommend where federal research investments and resources be directed- Developed and operationalized a smart region strategy and innovation lab for San Mateo County, serving its 29 county departments and twenty municipalities- Developed a connected streetlight strategy for a utility company with a 70,000 square mile service territory serving 16 million peopleI speak and write regularly on IoT, smart cities, and innovation management. I write for Smart Buildings Technology magazine and have contributed content to the Smart Cities for Dummies book. I co-authored the Municipal IoT Network Blueprint, the Smart Buildings: A Foundation for Resilient Cities, and Responding to COVID-19: A collaboration framework for cities and solution providers. I was named top 10 IIoT influencer on smart cities by Onalytica in 2020, and top IoT expert in the 2022 Onalytica Who's Who in IoT.I am currently serving as the chair on the U.S. Department of Commerce's IoT advisory board, the co-chair on the CompTIA IoT Industry Advisory Council, and the NIST GCTC Wireless, Smart Buildings, and Smart Regions Collaborative superclusters.I welcome the opportunity to connect and collaborate with you all in the near future.

Benson Chan's Current Company Details
Strategy of Things

Strategy Of Things

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Innovation catalyst and practitioner | IoT | AI | Emerging Technologies | Smart Cities | Digital Enterprises
Benson Chan Work Experience Details
  • Strategy Of Things
    Chief Operating Officer
    Strategy Of Things Oct 2016 - Present
    Oakland, Ca, Us
    Co-founded innovation firm specializing in innovation labs, strategy and planning, and market intelligence with the Internet of Things, analytics and artificial intelligence. Areas of focus include smart cities, smart buildings and industrial IoT.Developed connected streetlight strategy for a large regional utility company. Analyzed market trends, technology trends, company needs and current capabilities. Developed streetlight organization vision and mission. Identified various strategic options and guided client through selection of the appropriate strategy. Developed strategic roadmap for execution. Advised and developed smart region model, framework and strategy for San Mateo County. Designed, built and launched SMC Labs, its Smart Region innovation lab. Recruited, onboarded and managed strategic partnerships with key solutions partners. Provided day to day strategic and operational guidance on smart city initiatives.Designed and implementing Smart Corridor project for San Mateo County. Developed system engineering requirements, procurement requirements and RFP documents, and managed day to day implementation of the project from design, construction management, installation and hand off.Established company as innovation and thought leader in IoT and smart cities segment. Created and published IoT thought leadership content around strategy, go-to-market and innovation. Ranked #12 in the world by KCore Analytics as IIoT influencer. Top 10 IIoT influencer on smart cities by Onalytica in 2020, and top IoT expert in the 2022 Onalytica Who's Who in IoT.Chair of the U.S. Department of Commerce IoT Advisory Board (Secretary of Commerce appointment). Co-chair of the CompTIA IoT Industry Advisory Council. Member of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) GCTC Wireless, Smart Region and Smart Buildings SuperClusters. Former industry mentor to US Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
  • Control4
    Senior Director, Product Management
    Control4 Feb 2016 - Sep 2016
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    Pakedge was acquired by Control4 on January 29, 2016. Facilitated the acquisition integration of people, systems, processes, policies, products and knowledge transfer in under six months, enabling “one company” execution.Key accomplishments- Launched products to the Control4 channel on Day One of the merger - Developed bridging processes to enable cross-company transactions - Minimized sales disruption through strategic change management- Aligned back-office operations, policies, processes and pricing
  • Pakedge Device & Software, Inc
    Vp Strategy, Business Development And Marketing
    Pakedge Device & Software, Inc Oct 2013 - Feb 2016
    Draper, Utah, Us
    Prepared and positioned company for strategic investment. Defined platform vision and realigned corporate innovation strategy, initiatives, investments, organizational capabilities and go-to-market. Built marketing function from the ground up. Defined strategy, investments, budgets, resources, and priorities. Led day-to-day product marketing, channel marketing, PR, events, communications, advertising and alliances. Managed $500K annual budget.Planned and implemented product marketing activities around positioning and messaging, targeting, sales collateral, playbooks, pricing, bundling, product launch, reseller training and sales tools to support major product portfolio expansion. Built and scaled channel marketing program to support 1800+ resellers. Drove reseller engagement through multi-channel communications and direct outreach. Increased channel productivity by 20% through reseller recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention initiatives. Drove product sales through demand generation campaigns and reseller incentive programs.Identified and pursued strategic "multipliers" for rapid adoption – technology partner alliances, resellers, media, and industry influencers; resulted in continuous field generated publicity, lead generation, and new business opportunities.Recruited, trained, mentored, and coached team members. Established culture of excellence through team values, shared sense of purpose, measurable goals, personal accountability, and celebration of successes. Key accomplishments- Led strategic relationship with Control4, resulting in the acquisition of Pakedge- Created cloud platform vision and key architect of the Connect+ network platform- Industry recognition as CEPro Brand Leader for four consecutive years- Built product and channel marketing program to support 1800+ resellers- Launched new website and online reseller portal- Recognized industry thought leader, published and quoted in industry journals
  • Cisco Systems
    Senior Business Development Manager, Business Model Innovation
    Cisco Systems Dec 2010 - Oct 2013
    San Jose, Ca, Us
    Member of internal business innovation "start up" team to develop, incubate and launch Cisco’s strategic entry and transition to cloud-based “as a service” offeringsIdentified market requirements and current policy, process and capability gaps around usage/consumption measurement, billing, finance/accounting, sales model, compensation, and governance. Collaborated with responsible functional owners and executives on resolution and implementation.Managed executive steering committee review of critical design and implementation decisions, policies, and process changes. Set agenda, prepared topics, and tracked follow up actions. Collaborated with responsible functional organizations to prepare and escalate topics for executive review and resolution. Led program management office for deal requests. Coordinated senior executive reviews of deals to minimize existing revenue impact and deal flow disruption.Accomplishments include the securing of $20 million in internal funding for launch of a new business unit and development and rollout of three "pay as you go" service offers
  • Cisco Systems
    Senior Manager, Worldwide Business Development And Marketing, Cisco Capital Remarketing
    Cisco Systems Jul 2006 - Dec 2010
    San Jose, Ca, Us
    Mainstreamed innovative niche offering into Cisco mainline offerings. Drove sales growth from $100M to $150M, and maintaining 80%+margins, over a 48-month period.Led and built marketing and business development function from the ground up for a $150 million dollar “start-up” business unit. Planned go-to-market strategy and implemented initiatives for positioning, rebranding, awareness, pricing, partner programs, alliances, and tools/processes. Managed $800K marketing budget. Built and scaled channel marketing program to support 5000+ resellers. Developed and implemented channel enablement initiatives - partner recruitment, onboarding, training, productivity and retention. Launched channel productivity programs.Implemented sales enablement tools – playbooks, marketing and sales collateral, and training. Set and managed pricing.Evangelized the value of product offerings to internal sales executives and key resellers, distributors and influencers worldwide.Recruited and built marketing team from the ground up. Developed, coached and empowered team. Established culture of excellence through team values, shared sense of purpose, measurable goals, accountability, and celebration of successes.Key accomplishments- Scaled channel marketing program to support 5000+ resellers worldwide, resulting in a $50 million dollar annual sales increase in a four year period- Established Cisco Certified Refurbished Equipment as a trusted Cisco brand- Launched global channel partner programs to drive partner profitability and productivity - Instant Rebate, Volume Incentive Rebate, and Deal Registration- Developed alternate channel strategy to drive sales of end-of-life products- Published and quoted in industry journals
  • Strategic Deployment Llc
    Managing Director
    Strategic Deployment Llc Jun 2001 - Jun 2006
    Developed and launched private label technology product venture for underserved retail markets. Built differentiating advantage based on agile supply chain and strategic sourcing methodologies, yielding sustainable profit margins of >50% in a typically low margin business.Identified, analyzed and validated niche market opportunities. Created and launched new technology products. Developed and implemented go-to-market strategy. Built reseller channel from the ground up. Developed channel marketing tools – including trainings, collateral, and sales kits. Consulted for various new ventures seeking to launch and secure funding. Analyzed market opportunities, business models and recommended go to market strategies.Key accomplishments- Fast track placement of products in Tier One retail channels retailers (Home Shopping Network, Kmart and Home Depot), yielding 50K in revenues within 8 months of startup- Repositioned a two year old Internet travel technology services company, developing a new business plan that resulted in securing $2 MM in funding for the new corporate direction. Developed the marketing plan and executed lead generation services.- Wrote business plan for an offshore pharmacy venture, resulting in raising 100K in startup capital. Negotiated terms and conditions of the term sheet on behalf of founders.
  • Spaceworks
    Director Of Strategic Alliances - Software/Oem
    Spaceworks Jul 2000 - May 2001
    Managed strategic alliances program for B2B e-commerce company. Identified and vetted partner candidates, Initiated, structured, implemented partner relationships. Reviewed and negotiated joint goals and offerings, implementation timelines, metrics, and legal contracts. Managed day-to-day partner relationship activities. Coordinated product integration, marketing and sales activities between teams. Tracked opportunities and managed relationships. Developed sales and marketing collateral. Trained partner sales teams. Key accomplishments- Built software alliances program from ground-up in seven months with tier one partners- Developed partner sales network resulting in over 100 joint accounts in under three months
  • Pricewaterhousecoopers
    Senior Consultant, High Technology Industry, E-Business Practice
    Pricewaterhousecoopers Sep 1998 - May 2000
    Gb
    Conducted strategic assessment of client’s business and technology operations in sales, marketing, order fulfillment and supply chain management. Identified and analyzed inefficiencies and gaps. Defined new re-engineered operational processes and requirements.Defined client’s requirements for information technology solutions. Identified and assessed solutions against client requirements. Developed business case, vendor software selection criteria and assisted client in solution selection and contract negotiations.Key accomplishments- Defined industry-first “print to order small batch customizable books” infrastructure for publishing client (including user and back-end processes and IT system requirements) - Led project team through a successful SAP implementation and launch of an Internet based sales reporting service for computer products distributor client.
  • Hughes Electronics
    Senior Project Engineer/Business Development/Systems Engineer
    Hughes Electronics Oct 1991 - Sep 1998
    London, Gb
    Business Development ManagerLed cross-functional teams to develop communications satellite designs and prepare sales proposals. Formulated “differentiation” strategy and developed implementation plan. Led and coordinated customer responses and negotiations around the technology solution. Key accomplishments- Four contract awards worth over $340 million in two years- Led independent review team to assess company’s product line and internal research and development program against market needs, resulting in reprioritization of investments.- Received three commendation letters (including personal commendation from president)Systems Engineering Manager Managed an eight person engineering organization to support commercial business development initiatives. Coordinated resource deployment with various project managers. Coached, trained, evaluated and developed team members.Senior Project Engineer Analyzed customer requirements and translated to top-level design. Defined system, functionality and performance specs. Created test and integration plans. Led project teams to design, build, integrate, test satellite through entire life cycle. Developed project plans and managed teams to on-schedule completion.Led cross-functional teams to develop communications satellite designs and sales proposals in response to RFPs. Supported technical negotiations after award.Key accomplishments- Led team of 30 people from four different companies and three countries in the successful completion of a major system test on the first American/Russian commercial space venture- Conceived and led satellite integration/test process reengineering effort, resulting in a savings of three weeks and 550 man-hours. - Received eleven commendation letters/awards.
  • Nasa Ames Research Center
    Flight Simulation Engineer
    Nasa Ames Research Center Jun 1988 - Aug 1989
    Moffett Field, California, Us
    Managed the development, integration, test and operation of NASA aircraft simulation projects. Translated top-level customer requirements into project specifications. Developed and executed project management plan. Planned, coded, integrated, and tested software modules. Managed cross-functional project teams.Key accomplishments- Successfully implemented a fully operational simulation on a new computer platform six months ahead of schedule - Received three commendation letters

Benson Chan Skills

Cross Functional Team Leadership Strategy Product Management Cloud Computing Go To Market Strategy Business Development Start Ups Management Business Strategy Telecommunications Marketing Entrepreneurship Strategic Alliances Saas Project Management Business Alliances Strategic Partnerships Channel Software As A Service B2b

Benson Chan Education Details

  • Ucla Anderson School Of Management
    Ucla Anderson School Of Management
    General Management
  • Professional And Continuing Education
    Professional And Continuing Education
  • Purdue University
    Purdue University
    Engineering
  • California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
    California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
    Aeronautical Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions about Benson Chan

What company does Benson Chan work for?

Benson Chan works for Strategy Of Things

What is Benson Chan's role at the current company?

Benson Chan's current role is Innovation catalyst and practitioner | IoT | AI | Emerging Technologies | Smart Cities | Digital Enterprises.

What is Benson Chan's email address?

Benson Chan's email address is be****@****ail.com

What is Benson Chan's direct phone number?

Benson Chan's direct phone number is +140852*****

What schools did Benson Chan attend?

Benson Chan attended Ucla Anderson School Of Management, Professional And Continuing Education, Purdue University, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

What skills is Benson Chan known for?

Benson Chan has skills like Cross Functional Team Leadership, Strategy, Product Management, Cloud Computing, Go To Market Strategy, Business Development, Start Ups, Management, Business Strategy, Telecommunications, Marketing, Entrepreneurship.

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