GM/Product Executive with new consumer technologies
San Francisco Bay Area
- Current
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- President & CEO at Aha Mobile, Inc.
- Past
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- SVP of Marketing at Dash Navigation, Inc.
- VP of Music Services at RealNetworks, Inc.
- VP Product Development & Strategy at XM Satellite Radio
- VP of Marketing at XM Satellite Radio
- Director of Strategic Planning (and first employee of XM Satellite Radio) at WorldSpace
- Vice President and General Manager at Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
- Education
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- Harvard Business School
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Recommended
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2 people have recommended Robert - Connections
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317
connections
- Industry
- Consumer Services
Robert Acker’s Summary
Senior executive with general management, product development, consumer marketing, business development, and strategic planning experience. Helped start several companies and successfully launched multiple consumer products and two new consumer services. Set-up and ran successful consumer marketing, product development, and manufacturing organizations. Interested in start-ups as well as new business opportunities in existing organizations developing new consumer products or services.
Robert Acker’s Specialties:
Product development, product management, product marketing, consumer advertising, strategic planning, positioning, business development, market research
Robert Acker’s Experience
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President & CEO
Aha Mobile, Inc.
(Internet industry)
October 2008 — Present (1 year 2 months)
VC backed consumer start-up currently in stealth mode.
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SVP of Marketing
Dash Navigation, Inc.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Consumer Electronics industry)
April 2006 — July 2008 (2 years 4 months)
Headed marketing, advertising, product management, and PR for the company developing the first Internet-connected GPS device. Built marketing and product management groups, rebranded company as Dash, defined target market and positioning, defined product features, set hardware and service pricing, and launched the company's first product with extensive coverage in all major national print, broadcast, and Internet media.
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VP of Music Services
RealNetworks, Inc.
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; RNWK; Computer Software industry)
June 2004 — March 2006 (1 year 10 months)
Oversaw the leading on-demand music service, Rhapsody, as well as Real's music download store and subscription radio services. Managed a team of from 125-200 people. Updated Rhapsody to include device support and allow it to maintain its number one market position despite being significantly outspent in consumer advertising by its competitors.
Recruited and let a separate skunk works team that developed a portable Rhapsody music player that provided a seamless portable experience with the Rhapsody service. Created preproduction hardware and began setting up logistics and business infrastructure when company changed strategy to license device software my team developed to hardware manufacturers instead. -
VP Product Development & Strategy
XM Satellite Radio
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
January 2002 — June 2004 (2 years 6 months)
Created product plan and hired and managed design, development, and product marketing groups. Oversaw all industrial, mechanical, and user interface designs for XM product line-up, set pricing, designed packaging, and secured distribution partners.
The over a dozen products I developed and launched accounted for 87% of XM's aftermarket subscriptions by 2004 and reduced XM's individual subscriber acquisition costs by >$150.
Developed the SKYFi, the dominant radio in the industry with over a million sold and called by Walt Mossberg "simply the best satellite radio around today."
My team negotiated contracts and managed relationships with 40+ CE companies creating XM radios. Personally managed relationships with Pioneer, Alpine, Sony, Delphi and other leading partners.
Hired and managed team that developed XM's NavTraffic service. -
VP of Marketing
XM Satellite Radio
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
June 1998 — January 2002 (3 years 8 months)
Built and led marketing organization. Branded company "XM Satellite Radio," developed brand strategy and identity, set service coverage and radio requirements, determined subscription and hardware pricing, led all market research activities, selected and co-managed advertising agency, and created and executed successful national rollout strategy. Increased aided brand awareness from 0% to 36% nationally and 0% to 80% among men 18-49 in key target market of Los Angeles.
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Director of Strategic Planning (and first employee of XM Satellite Radio)
WorldSpace
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; WRSP; Broadcast Media industry)
March 1997 — June 1998 (1 year 4 months)
Immediately after I was hired, WorldSpace invested in XM Satellite Radio (called AMRC at the time) and I took over all business development activities for XM as the only full-time person at XM for its first year. Wrote the XM business plan and oversaw all strategic and product planning, market research, and financial modeling. Negotiated initial partnerships with radio manufacturers and set-up and oversaw initial XM meetings with potential programming partners, advertisers, and retailers. Hired executive search firms and managed original XM senior management searches for CEO, SVP of Programming, and other senior positions. Pitched my business plan to investment bankers and worked with them to turn it into the prospectues used for the initial ($272 million) private placement and ($123 million) IPO.
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Vice President and General Manager
Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
(Consumer Electronics industry)
1994 — 1996 (2 years )
Launched and ran company's separately incorporated advanced composite manufacturing subsidiary. Found facility, recruited and trained workforce, set-up benefits plan and payroll/accounting, and led business development while managing day-to-day operations. Built advanced composite aircraft structures for NASA research and Air Force reconnaissance aircraft. Transitioned the company from performing work for parent company to being completely supported by outside contracts.
Robert Acker’s Education
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Harvard Business School
MBA , September 1992 — May 1994
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MS , Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering , June 1987 — February 1988
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS , Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering , September 1983 — May 1987
