Richard Titus

Current

• Controller of User Experience & Design at BBC
• Board of Directors at Your Truman Show

Past

• Vice Chairman, President & Co-founder at Schematic
• Executive Producer at Who Killed the Electric Car? (Self-employed)
• Co-Founder & President at Plinyminor

• President and CEO at Schematic
• VP of Strategic Investments & VP Strategic Business Development at Razorfish
• Managing Director, Razorfish Los Angeles at Razorfish
• Founder, President and CEO at tag media
• Director of New Media, and Theatrical Line Producer at Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)
• Director of A & R and Production at Moonshine Music

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Education

• University of California, Los Angeles - The Anderson School of Management
• University of California, Santa Barbara
• Berklee College of Music

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Recommended

34 people have recommended Richard

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Internet

Websites

• My BBC Blog
• My Blog
• Schematic

Richard Titus’s Summary

Richard is Controller of User Experience & Design at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), he is responsible for the global audience experience for the BBC's non linear platforms (including Internet, mobile, red button and IPTV). These services have a combined audience greater than 50 million unique users a week. He manages a team of 180+ people across several divisions and provides thought leadership, strategy and delivery of the BBC's Future Media & Technology division's audience facing products and services. Recent successes have included the acclaimed bbc.co.uk homepage and service re-design (over 3.5 million pages), iPlayer, FreeSat, its newly re-launched mobile service. He also lead a pan-divisional effort to rationalize the BBC's brand hierarchy across its digital platforms. Richard serves on several organizational boards including the Future Media Operations Board.

Richard has founded or co-founded seven firms in his diverse entrepreneurial career; including one of the first interactive agencies, Tag media, which later became Razorfish Los Angeles. More recently, he co-founded and served as President and later Vice Chairman of Schematic, a 300+ person interactive agency based in Los Angeles, New York & Atlanta. Schematic was named a top 10 independent Interactive agency by Adweek for 2005 & 2006 and acquired by WPP in 2007.

Richard is a frequent public speaker and futurist speaking on the impact of innovation and digital products and services on audiences in the technology, Internet, media & entertainment sectors.

Outside his professional career, in collaboration with his filmmaker wife, he has executive produced a variety of feature film and television projects including two Sundance Film Festival selections; the seminal On_line, in 2002 and 2006’s theatrical hit eco-documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? They currently reside in London with their two children.

Richard Titus’s Specialties:

futurist, start-up, CEO, change management, strategy, technology, internet, media, entertainment, user experience, design, user interface, digital media, interactive, on-line marketing, international, mergers and acquisitions, business development, strategic partnerships, distressed business turn-around, intellectual property, film, television, video game, music, future media , mobile, broadband,social media, community, mobile, emerging platforms, human computer interaction

Richard Titus’s Experience

• Controller of User Experience & Design

  BBC

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; BBC; Broadcast Media industry)

  July 2007 — Present (1 year 4 months)

  Global Controller of User Experience & Design, Future Media & Technology division
  
  - Responsible for all aspects of audience experience across all digital products of the BBC.
  - Provide creative, thought & product leadership to the BBC's future media products and services across devices and platforms.
  - Recent successes include the new BBC digital brand hierarchy & syncronization, BBC homepage, iPlayer (the world leading IPTV service), a re-designed Mobile service (most popular in Europe) and FreeSat.

• Board of Directors

  Your Truman Show

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  June 2007 — Present (1 year 5 months)

  I am a board member of this silicon valley startup. Your Truman Show, Inc. (http://www.YourTrumanShow.com) helps great storytellers share their stories with online video. It provides a free platform that enables anyone to create their own on-demand channel, share their stories and watch, rate and review other
  people's lives. The privately-held San Francisco-based company was founded in 2006 by Arturo Artom and Luca Ferrero. They have assembled a global team of technology and media experts in Silicon Valley, Hollywood and Europe.

• Vice Chairman, President & Co-founder

  Schematic

  (Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)

  March 2004 — January 2007 (2 years 11 months)

  • As board member lead a drive for strong corporate governance, fiscal controls, secession planning and long-term exit strategies.
  • Acted as the external "face" of the organization to clients, partners and the media and investment communities.
  • Successfully re-positioned firm as a top 10 Interactive agency as selected by Adweek. Clients include BMW, Comcast, Intel, Microsoft, Target and TimeWarner.
  • Oversaw integration of the merged entities, specifically working to craft and implement the combined service offering which remains in place today.
  • Crafted "go to market' strategy including PR, marketing, advertising and a speaker series; greatly increasing industry awareness in a short time
  • Lead strategic business development process for pipeline management as well as tools and processes for new client acquisition; delivering 300% increased new client revenue per annum - current revenues in excess of $39 mill per annum.
  • Identified and hired Sr. management team members.

• Executive Producer

  Who Killed the Electric Car? (Self-employed)

  (Self-Employed; 51-200 employees; Motion Pictures and Film industry)

  May 2005 — December 2006 (1 year 8 months)

  I was the Executive Producer of the feature film, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" which was released theatrically worldwide and is one of the top forty all time grossing documentary films.
  
  WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? premiered at the Sundance, SIFF and Tribeca film festivals in 2006 to critical acclaim, chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business. Nominated for many awards including a WGA and a BAFTA this film is still one of the most discussed films of 2006. For more information see http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com

• Co-Founder & President

  Plinyminor

  (Motion Pictures and Film industry)

  January 2001 — November 2006 (5 years 11 months)

  On departing Razorfish, Richard with his wife and producing partner Tavin founded Plinyminor. They have developed and produced a variety of feature film and television projects including feature film On_line, a romantic drama/comedy about six characters whose relationships, work and sex lives are connected through and changed by the Internet, The Film premiered in 2002 at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals and was released theatrically in the US in July of 2003. Other recent projects include documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? released theatrically worldwide by Sony Pictures Classics in 2006 and a slate of Sci Fi genre pictures in their relationship with USA’s SciFi channel, whose most recent film, Mammoth was nominated for an EMMY in 2006.

• President and CEO

  Schematic

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  September 2002 — March 2004 (1 year 7 months)

  • Performed turn-around of 5 year old design service firm (re-branded Schematic).
  • Negotiated “work-out” of secured and unsecured debt as well as securing new financing.
  • Implemented reorganization of staff and lines of accountability to enable accountability, profitability and effective client service delivery.
  • Positioned company to be the dominant firm in the world of User Interface for screen based entertainment.
  • Managed business from near bankruptcy (annual net loss of $500k on $1.4 million in revenues in 2002) to revenues in excess of $2 million.
  • Orchestrated, structured and negotiated reverse merger with leading Los Angeles interactive agency, The Content Project (now renamed Schematic) in 2004,

• VP of Strategic Investments & VP Strategic Business Development

  Razorfish

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; razf; Internet industry)

  December 1999 — January 2001 (1 year 2 months)

  • Co-founded Razorfish Ventures.
  • Managed and completed strategic investments including: Artesia Technologies, Pogo, & Cambridge Silicon Radio.
  • Evaluated, recommended and managed execution on multiple international and domestic M&A transactions.
  • Created and led the development and implementation of Catapult, the company’s global leadership program.
  • Managed senior executive level significant client relationships including TVN, PACCAR, Sony and American General Financial Group.
  • Responsible for executive level development and management of a variety of strategic alliances including Exodus, Akamai, LoudEye, Digital Island and Engage Technologies.
  • Traveled worldwide as both an internal and external corporate evangelist, helping to communicate and ensure consistency of the core message, values, and strategic vision

• Managing Director, Razorfish Los Angeles

  Razorfish

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; razf; Internet industry)

  September 1998 — December 1999 (1 year 4 months)

  • Achieved a 1000% increase in revenues during just under 2-year term as Managing Director of LA office.
  • Managed local P&L and reported directly to the CEO. Retained profitability while managing revenue growth from $1 million to more than $44 million a year.
  • Managed and orchestrated evolution of organization from an entrepreneurial company to a professionally managed business, restructuring and recruiting as organizational growth demanded.
  • Member of Razorfish’s twelve member global Management Committee
  • Led acquisition of broadcast design, commercial graphics and live-action production company Fuel.
  • Oversaw senior executive relationships with new and existing clients including NASA, Buena Vista (The GO network), Kenwood Electronics, TVN Entertainment and the American Film Institute.
  • Managed integration, including local portions of the $677 million dollar merger with I-Cube, into the LA operations.

• Founder, President and CEO

  tag media

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  August 1996 — September 1998 (2 years 2 months)

  • Co-founded company in 1996 and managed every aspect of the organization and its day-to-day operations.
  • Managed consistent growth of the organization without external investment or long-term debt.
  • Designed and built organizational structure, recruiting key operational, strategic and functional leads as organizational growth demanded.
  • Led and developed digital solutions for Fortune 1000 and government institutions including NASA, Qualcomm, Intel, Microsoft, Jim Henson Entertainment, DiTech Funding, KCRW and Urban Decay Cosmetics.
  • Creator and producer of the world’s 1st parallel web show and television series entitled THE VISITOR.COM, with Dean Devlin, producer of feature films Independence Day and The Patriot.
  • Negotiated highly profitable strategic sale of <tag>media to Razorfish in 1998 prior to it’s IPO in 1999.

• Director of New Media, and Theatrical Line Producer

  Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)

  (Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Computer Games industry)

  September 1994 — July 1996 (1 year 11 months)

  • Co-founded Interactive games division, developed Internet strategy and co-wrote interactive division business plan.
  • Managed all aspects of production including budgeting, staffing and creative in all media; live-action and interactive.
  • Created, produced and co-wrote interactive game title, Blue Heat, whose talent including Rick Rossevich & Elliot Gould, oversaw product to completion and sale to distributors.
  • Associate produced feature films, including Corporate Ladder, starring Ben Cross and Talisa Soto.
  • Associate produced early streaming video game, Soldier Boys, based on a feature film of the same name.
  • Worked to develop and negotiate interactive agreements with the Screen Actors and Directors Guilds.
  • Successfully completed 3rd party licenses of engine I.P. more than doubling revenues derived from those products.

• Director of A & R and Production

  Moonshine Music

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Entertainment industry)

  September 1993 — July 1994 (11 months)

  • Signed and oversaw contracts and artist development for new artists signed to label.
  • Created and co-produced several best selling themed compilations of music including the well-known Speakeasy collective series (acid jazz) and the United State of Ambience (Ambient) two of the label's best-selling series.
  • Managed every aspect of actual product design, production and manufacturing for almost 30 releases.
  • Created and led Moonshine’s revolutionary marketing and sales efforts utilizing 800 numbers and the Internet, as well as early cooperative marketing efforts with CompuServe and America Online.

Richard Titus’s Education

• University of California, Los Angeles - The Anderson School of Management

  MDE, Management Development for Entrepreneurs program, 2001 — 2002

  Sr. Management program modeled after EMBA for serial entrepreneurs.

  Activities and Societies:

  Management project was genesis for founding Schematic.

• University of California, Santa Barbara

  philosphy 1986 — 1991

  (Transferred to Boston for two years in the middle)

  Activities and Societies:

  Symphony, Men's Chorus (nationally recognized), barista at Cafe Roma in Isla Vista, KCSB

• Berklee College of Music

  Film Scoring and Synthesis (dual major) 1988 — 1989

  Part of a simultaneous three school program In Boston Berklee, Museum School of the Arts and Tufts

  Activities and Societies:

  symphony, Synclavier lab, multiple bands and performing groups, Lifeguard Harvard Pool

Additional Information

Richard Titus’s Websites:

• My BBC Blog
• My Blog
• Schematic

Richard Titus’s Interests:

Renewable Energy, Sustainability, international business, travel, Science Fiction, Electric Vehicles, New Media, Film, Television, Gadgets, Video Games, Massively multiplayer games, web 2.0, Digerati

Richard Titus’s Groups:

Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Film Institute, Global Green, National Resources Defense Council, Producers Guild (PGA), Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Interactive Television Alliance, LARTA, NATPE, NAB, CTAM

•    Institute for Int'l Film Financing (IIFF)
•    Executive Suite
•    Guidewire Group's Social Media Insiders
•    TEN - Top Executives Net
•    Gmail Users
•    Open Source
•    Sustainable Investment Forum
•    Music 2.0
•    Hedge Private Equity and Private Film Financing
•    Semantic Web
•    First Tuesday
•    Europe 2.0 - web 2.0, startups, entrepreneurship in Europe
•    British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service
•    OpenCoffeeClub
•    Friends of Romania
•    Global Digital Media

Richard Titus’s Honors:

- Featured media spokesperson on topics of new media, entertainment and technology.
- Member, Board of Advisors, US Pavilion for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo
- Board of Directors two years running at the Producers Guild New media Council
- Named one of top 50 executives in the Digital Coast three years running.
- Keynote Speaker:
- - Time Warner Inc. annual Sr. management summit.
- - Keynote Speaker SPAA conference 2005.
- - C21/M21 magazine’s Future Media (2002, 2004).
- - UCLA’s Anderson Business School’s annual Entrepreneur Forum 2000.
- Recurring moderator and panelist at industry events including; CES, BDA NAB, NATPE, Digital Hollywood, E3, GDC and educational institutions including; AFI, U.Penn. Wharton, UCLA - Anderson, USC – Marshall, Cal Tech and Cal Arts.

Richard Titus’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch