SHOBA PURUSHOTHAMAN

shobap@gmail.com
(US) 1 646 286 3108 (Asia) +91 98203 50028

Shoba Purushothaman is an entrepreneur and currently involved in establishing a global enterprise in the
technology- led education industry based out of Asia. She brings 25 years of business and entrepreneurial
experience including leadership and operating roles in the U.S., Europe and Asia in the digital, media,
marketing and education sectors. Her experience includes 10 years as CEO of a Tier 1 venture-backed
global business based out of New York City. Prior to that, Shoba was CEO of the international operations of
a London-based marketing agency for 6 years.
Having lived and worked in six countries, and done business in more than 20, Shoba has a deep network of
relationships globally that cuts across corporate, institutional, governmental and personal arenas. Born in
Malaysia of Indian descent, Shoba is now a U.S. citizen and also holds permanent resident status in the
U.K. She is currently largely based in Asia (Singapore & India), but travels regularly to the U.S. and Europe.
She has been a regular public speaker internationally for more than 18 years on topics including the digital
economy, media & marketing trends, globalization and entrepreneurship. Shoba was one of 15 women
selected globally for the inaugural fellowship at George Washington University in a ground-breaking initiative
in 2013 to identify and prepare women for public corporate board service.

EXPERIENCE
Asia Pacific
Broad and deep business experience across key markets in Asia including India, China, south-east Asia and
Australia. Established greenfield operations in multiple markets and grown them to profitability. Identified
and completed acquisitions, launched new products and established long-term business partnerships.
Navigated complex inter-jurisdictional frameworks. Relationships across government, business and personal
networks across the region. Fluent Malay, Indonesian and Tamil; basic Japanese.
US
Understand drivers of the digital economy and the broader media and marketing industries. Created and
grew two start-ups over a 10-year period including an award-winning, disruptive, innovative enterprise that
established a Fortune 500 and US government revenue base. Relationships within the PE and venture
capital industry and experience serving on boards alongside them. Fluent with best practice US corporate
governance and operating styles and standards. Strong relationship network with C-level and board
members in multiple industries.
Leadership
Clear understanding of leadership as a critical driver of business success and able to cut-through and offer
clarity in industries that are dislocating. Track record in identifying, attracting and nurturing talent across
cultural and demographic variances. Effective listening and influencing skills. Domain expertise in start-ups,
emerging markets, digital media and brand marketing and frequent speaker at global forums. Trusted for
insight, integrity and judgment. Direct communication, independent thinking.
Entrepreneurial mind-set
Intuitively able to identify gaps in the market to create new value and spot opportunities to create sustainable
businesses from disrupting the status quo. Ability to translate setbacks and failures into opportunity for
change and re-direction. Experience in evaluating risk and decision-making on imperfect information.
Energetic, confident and able to relate well at management and board level across inter-cultural frameworks.
Financial literacy; Investor & Media Relations
Creating, managing and presenting budgets, financial analysis, Board Packs and investor materials as CEO
of a VC-backed business. Successfully raised debt & equity capital. Twenty-five years experience from both
sides of the divide of journalism and PR. Strategic consulting in media & investor relations as well as crisis
communication to brands such as GM, BMW, Google and Facebook, the IMF, IOC and government
agencies in the U.S., U.K., Sweden, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India.

BOARD EXPERIENCE
Synaptic Digital Inc, 2009-2012
Served as Chair and then Board member of Synaptic Digital Inc. which was created after the acquisition of a
NASDAQ-listed marketing services company by The NewsMarket, a pioneer in the digital media industry cofounded by Shoba in 2000.
The NewsMarket Inc., 2000-2009
Board member & Chair as founder -CEO of The NewsMarket Inc, a Tier-1 VC-backed digital media business
based out of New York with global revenues.
Experience includes capital raising, M&A evaluation and acquisition integration. Led Board-level strategy
and guidance through two severe down-market cycles (2001 & 2008). Attracted and recruited high-caliber
independent board directors and management team in Europe and the US. Served alongside leading VC
board members from Apax Partners, Battery Ventures, Softbank Capital and Hearst Interactive Media.
Other, 2000 onward
Served on the boards of PR, media and marketing industry groups and institutions including the School of
Strategic Communication at Columbia University, NY. Advisory board member of start-ups in Asia and the
U.S.

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
Shoba began her career in 1985 as a business journalist (Malaysian Business, Wall Street Journal, Dow
Jones specialist wire services). She reported from Kuala Lumpur, Washington D.C., New York and London
for over nine years, establishing strong communication, relationship-building, critical analysis and judgment
skills.
Since 1994, Shoba has been an entrepreneur. The first business, a specialist marketing services agency
based out of London, grew a Fortune 500 client list and was successfully acquired by an LSE-listed
marketing conglomerate in 2001. The second venture, The NewsMarket Inc., was a pioneering digital media
start-up. As CEO, Shoba navigated through product launch, revenue generation and fund-raising amidst the
Internet bubble collapse of 2000-2002 and the market downturn of 2008.
Under her tenure, the Company established revenue and operating hubs in the U.K., Germany,
Scandinavia, China and a technology hub in India. The NewsMarket and Shoba won numerous industry
awards for innovation and business performance including from Deloittes Fast 50, the Software &
Information Industry Association, the National Association of Broadcasters, E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year
finalist for NYC, the Asian American Business Association and Inc., Entrepreneur and Fortune magazines.
Shoba exited day-to-day operations of the business in 2009 after the Company completed the acquisition of
the industry incumbent, a NASDAQ-listed company and continued to serve on the Board until the Company
was acquired in 2012.
Shoba is now involved with establishing a new global start-up, based out of Asia that is exploiting
possibilities created by the technology-led disruption in the corporate education and skills training industry.
Shoba is a participant in the U.S. State Departments Global Entrepreneurship Program that aims to
promote entrepreneurship in emerging markets. She is regularly invited to speak on entrepreneurship &
start-ups, digital media, marketing and globalization at international events. Shoba mentors start-ups in the
U.S. and India directly and through the mentor programs of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Springboard
Enterprises and the International Womens Forum.

SHOBA PURUSHOTHAMAN
shobap@gmail.com
(US) 1 646 286 3108 (Asia) +919820350028

Training Ventures Private Limited

Technology-led skills training

2011-present
Singapore & India

Co- founding director of a new company based out of Singapore that is seeking to leverage the
technology-led innovation currently transforming education. Initial operations are focused on establishing a
footprint across India in managerial skills training in the corporate sector (primarily industrial/manufacturing
sectors) with expansion into other emerging markets planned.
Synaptic Digital & The NewsMarket, Board Director

2000- Sept. 2012

US, Europe & Asia

Served as Chairman, Board director and at various points on Compensation Committee, M&A Committee
and participated in Audit Committee as appropriate as the serving CEO. Identified and recruited independent
and international directors to the Board. Led Board-level guidance and oversight of strategy and business
planning.
The NewsMarket, CEO & Co-Founder
Online video distribution platform

2000-2009
US, Europe & Asia

Set vision and strategy, responsible for overall operational execution globally prior to exiting the business in
September 2009 to begin a new venture.
Key Achievements
Raised multi-million dollar Series A funds through competitive business plan pitch in Nov
01 despite Internet bubble collapse & immediate aftermath of 9/11 terror attack

Re-negotiated leases and liabilities favorably during the market downturn in 01-02
Secured additional $17M from Tier 1 funds Apax Partners, Battery Ventures, Softbank Capital
and Hearst Interactive Media as well as strategic angels

Led creation of a video technology platform that won numerous tech and marketing industry awards
Established:
o revenue operations in US, UK, Germany, Scandinavia, China & India
o stable, long-term outsourced technology development relationships in India
o off-shore technology & customer service center in India, recouping investment in year two
Maintained customer retention rate of over 93% during tenure as CEO
Expanded globally with limited capital, securing 50% of revenue outside the US (Europe & Asia)
Established recurring revenues from Fortune 500 customers including Google, Intel, BMW,
Samsung, General Motors, Novartis and agencies such as the US State Department,
NATO, UNICEF, IMF & the IOC
Maintained gross margins in excess of 85%
Acquisition of industry incumbent, a NASDAQ-listed Company
Built and retained stable management team through two economic downturns (01 & 08)
Bulletin International Co-Founder, CEO (Asia & US)
Boutique marketing consultancy

1994-2000
Europe, Asia, US

Bulletin was established in London with savings of 1,000 pounds and grown entirely out of P&L. It achieved
a multi-million pound exit to an LSE-listed marketing conglomerate in 2001.
Key Achievements
Established operations in Singapore, Malaysia, HK, Australia, NY and San Francisco
Recruited and trained management teams to run each operation independently
Brought businesses to profitability within 15 months

Journalist, Dow Jones & Company

1987-1994

Washington D.C., New York, London

Covered a variety of beats ranging from the economy and trade to the financial markets for the Dow Jones
news wires and the Wall Street Journal in all three locations.
Journalist, Malaysian Business

1985-1987

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Covered the commodities, real estate and industrial development beats for Malaysias only
business magazine at the time.

EDUCATION
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Fellow, On-The-Board
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
Owner President Management Program (OPM29)
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
MA, Economic Communication
MONASH UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature & Japanese

Washington, D.C
2013
Boston, MA
1998-2000
Washington, D.C.
1987-1988
Melbourne, Australia
1980-1984

HONORS & AWARDS

On-the-Board Fellow (Inaugural program), George Washington University
ADVANCE (Australia) 50 Global Women Leaders
Malaysian Indian Global High Achiever (Astro Malaysia)
Springboard Enterprises (US) North Star award
Deloitte Technology Fast 50 (NY)
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (NY) finalist
Asian American Top 50 Business Leader (US)
Inc. magazine, Entrepreneur of the Year Honorable Mention (US)
Committee of 200 Emerging Business Leader Protg (US)
th
Center for Foreign Journalists 10 Anniversary Honoree (US)
Asia Foundation journalism fellowship to the US (awarded to 5 Asians)

2013
2011
2010
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2004
1995
1986

PUBLIC SPEAKING
Between 1995-2013, Shoba has delivered speeches, moderated panels and led workshops at dozens of
public forums including conferences by Financial Times, Reuters, Businessweek, PR Week, Harvard
Business School, NYU Stern School of Business, Columbia Business School, University of California,
Berkeley, University of Southern California, Global Entrepreneurship Summit, The Indus Entrepreneurs,
National Association of Broadcasters, Radio Television News Directors Association, Center for Foreign
Journalists, The Paley Center for Media, The Asia Society, Dell Women Entrepreneurs Network and
other institutions.

OTHER
Interests:
Travel, cooking, performing arts, fitness
Languages: Fluent English, Tamil, Malay & Indonesian; basic Japanese
shobap@gmail.com +91 98 20350028 (India mobile) +1646 286 3108 (US mobile)