RiseSmart Board of Directors

Sanjay Sathe is the president and CEO of RiseSmart, the leader in next-generation outplacement and recruitment solutions.

Sanjay started RiseSmart in 2006 to make finding a new job or hiring new employees more efficient. To achieve this, he conceived a proprietary technology and service platform specifically designed to match jobseekers with opportunities and to help companies fill open positions. During a management career spanning more than two decades, Sanjay led successful sales and marketing organizations domestically and internationally. His background includes product marketing, CRM, loyalty programs, branding, marketing communications, public relations and strategic alliance initiatives across the telecommunications, banking, airline and technology sectors. Prior to RiseSmart, Sanjay served as vice president for enterprise data management for Sabre Holdings, a $2.5 billion global leader in travel commerce and the parent company of Travelocity. He led corporate efforts to leverage customer insight and business intelligence to create differentiated customer relationships and incremental revenue streams.

Before Sabre, Sanjay was senior vice president of marketing for Brierley & Partners, a CRM and loyalty management company serving global brands such as Hilton HHonors, Hertz #1 Club Gold, Blockbuster Rewards, Sony and Nokia. In this role, Sanjay drove the company's e-commerce, marketing and international new business development efforts. Sanjay also has served in marketing management roles in Europe and Asia with major corporations including Lufthansa and HSBC. He received a Master of Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines, and has completed an executive education program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Venkat Mohan is general partner of Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), a Series A investor in RiseSmart. Venkat has been with NVP since 2000. He brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and general management, with a focus on Internet-based solutions for businesses and consumers. His recent investments and board seat appointments include The 41st Parameter, Clairmail, GXS, Kriyari, Picateers and Timebridge. He was formerly a member of the board of directors of Crossweave (acquired by AmberPoint), and Softface (acquired by Ariba). He was a strategic advisor to Arbortext (acquired by Parametric Technology).

Prior to NVP, Venkat was president and chief operating officer at OnDisplay, a leading provider of Internet content management software, which he helped take public in 1999. OnDisplay was subsequently acquired by Vignette Corporation. Earlier Venkat was vice president of global marketing and e-commerce at GEIS, formerly one of GE's 11 operating businesses. He also served as president at Cadis, a software start-up; executive vice president of marketing at VMX, a pioneer in voice processing; and CEO of WIPRO Systems Ltd.?

Venkat began his career as an advertising research analyst with Young & Rubicam in New York, where he built mathematical models to measure advertising effectiveness for Y&R’s major clients. He subsequently held marketing and management positions at several companies, including Hewlett Packard and McKinsey & Company.

He was awarded an MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School, where he was elected a Baker Scholar. He also holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and a master's degree in industrial and system engineering from the University of Florida.

Sanjay Subhedar is managing director of Storm Ventures, a Series A investor in RiseSmart. Prior to founding Storm Ventures in October 2000, Sanjay worked at E-TEK Dynamics, Inc., serving as its chief operating officer and chief financial officer. He played a key role in E-TEK's growth from 400 employees to 5,000 employees in less than three years; its IPO in 1998; and its merger with JDS Uniphase in July 2000.

Prior to E-TEK, Sanjay was the CFO for StrataCom, Inc. from its inception in 1986 until its merger with Cisco Systems 10 years later. Following the merger, he served as Vice President of Cisco's WAN business unit until October 1997.

He serves on the board of trustees of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, the board of directors of the Indiana University Foundation, and the governing board of the Indian School of Business. He earned a B.S. from the University of Bombay, India and an MBA from Indiana University.