Chris Townsend

Current

VP Marketing at I-Nova Software

Past

Researcher at Forrester Research
Editor at Forrester Research
Server at Tantric Bar & Grill

Associate Editor at Let's Go
Research-Writer at Let's Go

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Education

Harvard University

Recommended

1 person has recommended Chris

Connections

271 connections

Industry

Management Consulting

Websites

Chris Townsend’s Summary

SHORT STORY:

2009 - present: VP Marketing for I-Nova Software, a software company offering innovation management solutions.
2006 - 2008: Forrester Research -- most notably, as the analyst covering Innovation Management.
2004 - 2005: "taking a break" working in restaurants.
2003: college degree from Harvard (neurobiology)

Thus, in recent years I've built highly specialized knowledge/expertise in "innovation management."

LONG STORY:

~ past experience ~

-- neurobiology degree from Harvard, working part-time as a lab assistant on molecular genetics and chromosomal genomics
-- a college summer as an orderly in a German health clinic in the Black Forest, and then the next summer as a travel writer in the Austrian Alps
-- full-time post-college employment as a server at a jazz lounge, waterfront seafood restaurant, and Indian bistro
-- Forrester: tech business consultant and market analyst with wide-ranging interests such as innovation management and China's place in the tech economy.

~ personal interests ~

Intellectually and professionaly, I maintain personal and professional interests in anything that is worth exploring deeply. For any more detail than this, you should get to know me personally. Canned profile text only goes so far...

My most beloved activities are foreign travel, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, cooking, and reading and disputation. As before, get to know me personally if you want to learn more.

I've a particular affinity for (human) languages. Currently, I live in Lyon (France), so I'm actively learning French. Last year, I was teaching myself Mandarin Chinese for personal reasons (my girlfriend is a Chinese expat living in NYC). Due to past life experience, I speak German. And from high school classes, I'm proficient in Spanish...i.e., I can "get by". Additionally, I have experience with Nepali, Hindi, and Turkish -- but only important phrases, basic grammar, and pronunciation.

Chris Townsend’s Specialties:

Highly-functioning jack-of-all-trades.

Chris Townsend’s Experience

VP Marketing

I-Nova Software

(Privately Held; Computer Software industry)

April 2009 — Present (9 months)

Director of the product development roadmap and the marketing department. Responsible for marketplace vision, partnership strategy, product packaging and pricing, advertising, customer events, etc.
Researcher

Forrester Research

(Public Company; FORR; Research industry)

December 2006 — February 2009 (2 years 3 months)

Primary research focus was "innovation management tools." Curated an extremely popular list of innovation vendors/providers:
http://blogs.forrester.com/vendor_strategy/2008/12/innovation-vend.html

Published several groundbreaking studies, including:

-- "The Rise of Innovation Management Tools" (www.forrester.com/go?docid=46266)

-- "The Three Archetypes of Innovation Management Tools" (www.forrester.com/go?docid=46792)
Editor

Forrester Research

(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; FORR; Research industry)

June 2005 — November 2006 (1 year 6 months)

I was a copy editor.

Oh frabjous day
calloo callay
I was a copy editor
yay yay yay.
Server

Tantric Bar & Grill

(Hospitality industry)

September 2004 — May 2005 (9 months)

I worked for ~9 months at this Indian restaurant in the Theater District in Boston. Has some of the best Indian food in town. Learned a little Hindi and Nepali while working there, and a lot about Indian food. Joined the executive chef on a 3-week trip to rural West Bengal to visit his family; stayed in Kolkata for a few days as well.
Associate Editor

Let's Go

(Publishing industry)

April 2003 — September 2003 (6 months)

I was the junior editor of a two-man team responsible for planning, directing, editing, and managing the creation of _Let's Go: Austria and Switzerland 2004_.
Research-Writer

Let's Go

(Publishing industry)

May 2001 — July 2001 (3 months)

I spent a summer as a travel writer for the budget travel guide series Let's Go. My itinerary was in western Austria and Liechtenstein. I covered the Austrian Alps from Salzburg south to Klagenfurt and west to Lake Constance and the Swiss border with Liechtenstein.

Chris Townsend’s Education

Harvard University

Bachelor's , Biology , 1999 — 2003

College was great -- expect for the classes. I have never enjoyed the rigidity of formalized education, even a high-quality one.

Activities and Societies:

were as follows (in order of personal valence for me):
- Harvard Mountaineering Club (active member)
- Harvard Ski Club (founder and first president)
- Harvard Wind Ensemble (played clarinet, served variously as Social Director and Stage Manager)
- HARMONY (volunteer piano teacher for neighborhood kids; served as Site Director and Board Member)
- Dorm Crew (cleaned student bathrooms for $10/hr)
- financial indebtedness (to date, still an annoying black stain on my quality of life)