Phunware Inc said Russ Buyse has been hired as the company’s chief executive officer, effective December 28, 2022.
Prior to joining Phunware, Buyse spent the past two decades in both product and services companies, from start-ups to enterprises, leading teams to create innovative solutions.
Buyse said he is thrilled to bring his experience in mobile software, data and identity onboard at such an important time in the Austin, Texas-based company’s trajectory.
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“I look forward to working with the phenomenal people at Phunware to maximize shareholder value by scaling industry-leading solutions to re-imagine how brands engage their customers,” Buyse said in a statement.
Phunware COO Randall Crowder said Phunware is at an inflection point, adding that Buyse brings exactly the right background to help the company successfully make the transition from operating as a tech-enabled systems integrator to scaling as a true enterprise integration platform as a service.
“His experience in mobile and data will help us further commercialize our ability to deliver tech-enabled contextual engagement in a mobile-first world and his understanding of digital identity will be invaluable as we look to commercialize a decentralized data economy built on first-party data where consumers manage consent,” Crowder said.
Buyse has founded two companies, served as an executive in six others, and was an entrepreneur in residence at a venture capital firm. Most recently, he served as COO of GlobaliD, a digital identity platform providing consumers with a self-sovereign identity they can use to communicate, transact and create value within any context, according to Phunware .
In addition to digital identity, Buyse has extensive experience in mobile software and data management. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, the company said.
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