The x(Ad)-Men

xAd’s rise to prominence is fueled by the best and brightest in the industry. We’re led by a former “Entrepreneur of the Year” and an all-star cast of x(Ad)-Men: superhuman technologists, marketers and product developers ready to answer the call day or night.

Their collective powers give them the ability to create the always-needful business-consumer connection. With a laser-beam focus on consumers’ mobile behaviors, the flexibility to meet advertisers’ goals and the strength to help businesses of all sizes, the x(Ad)-Men tirelessly built our product suite from the ground up and continually advance our sophisticated targeting with even greater precision.

Many have tried to match their feats, but all have fallen short. Knowing there’s nothing too strong, fast or intelligent to outdo the x(Ad)-Men, whom are you gonna call?

Leadership Team

Dipanshu “D” Sharma (aka Captain Dexterity)
Founder & CEO

Twitter | LinkedIn

As founder of xAd and ringleader of the x(Ad)-Men, D is closely involved with every aspect of the organization’s daily operations, from product planning and market strategy to technology execution and sales development. You could say he’s our go-to guy. To fill that vital role, Captain Dexterity employs his ability shift — the capability to use a variety of powers — to make things happen so efficiently inside xAd, including preparing his forces to conquer mobile-local search and advertising in U.S. markets.

Such a power makes Captain Dexterity a force to be reckoned with, as he is extremely adept at finding new ways to leverage technology and improving business models for entrepreneurs and innovative companies. For example, he previously developed new technologies for Nokia, as well as co-founded RockeTalk (India’s fifth-largest mobile-traffic site) and Kadonk (the top Microsoft Project Viewer). When he applied his ability shift to found xAd in 2009, his motto was “We are the future,” and he hasn’t looked back.

Credentials:

• Holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Delhi University (India) and a master’s degree in computer science from DAVV (India)
• Has specialized management/entrepreneurship degrees from UC San Diego and HUT (Helsinki, Finland)
• Named TeleFusion’s “Technology Leader of the Year”
• Nominated as Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year”
• Sits on the board of directors at xAd, Kadonk and WikiSeer
• Member of Veracity Wireless’ Advisory Board

Chi-Chao Chang (aka The Experimentalist)
President of Products & Technology

Twitter | LinkedIn

You’ve heard of mad scientists, right? Well, The Experimentalist is like that, minus the mad. In fact, he uses his supernatural mental abilities such as telepathy and futuristic senses for the good of our organization, directing the x(Ad)-Men to develop a quality mobile-local arsenal. Because he’s able to so effectively harness and channel those powers, he has been charged with all facets of xAd’s product management and technology development, including overall strategy, the identification of new customer segments and the advancement of a vibrant mobile-local marketplace.

In fact, his mental prowess is renowned in the industry, as he holds five patents; has filed over 15 applications; has published more than 25 technical articles; and is a regular speaker for Search Engine Strategies, Search Marketing Expo and the Interactive Advertising Bureau, where he also serves on it Search Committee.

Credentials:

• Headed Yahoo!’s global-search operations and the company’s ongoing relationship with Microsoft
• Held various senior-leadership roles at Yahoo!, including Vice President of Products, which put him in charge of product management, research and development, display advertising, analytics, and testing the company’s Sponsored Search and Content Match product lines
• Built the Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard system and Yahoo!’s Search Assistant, which is the first peer-reviewed search engine
• Developed software for large-scale distribution systems, networking and grid computing at Microsoft and Lawrence Berkeley Labs

Stephen McCarthy (aka X-Ray)
Chief Financial Officer

LinkedIn

Adorning a monocle, X-Ray boasts penetrating vision to see both through objects and far beyond the horizon. X-Ray’s hawk-like vision ensures that our team operates on sound, knowledgeable financial insights, rather than speculation, so we are kept on track for success. His rich senses of finance and accounting enable the x(Ad)-Men to make informed decisions for the future and our growth.

Specifically, he is able to peer into a vast array of financial avenues, including fundraising; coordinating contracts with vendors, partners and customers; developing business plans; and supporting all part of the organization, from engineering and sales to business development and human resources.

Credentials:

• Possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy from California State University in Sacramento
• Worked in private equity, where he oversaw finance, accounting and operations for all fund-portfolio companies
• Held various positions at technology companies, including Exigen Group (Chief Accounting Officer), MySQL (Vice President of Finance), Vitria Technology (Corporate Controller), Exodus Communications (Controller) and Centura Software/Gupta
• Was with KPMG Peat Marwick, where he earned his license as a Certified Public Accountant and also supported companies ranging from early-stage to top-tier enterprises such as Apple, Adobe, Intuit and Siemens

Craig Hagopian (aka Exodus)
Chief Marketing Officer

LinkedIn

Not only does Exodus make the weekly trek from his San Diego home to our x(Ad)-Men headquarters in San Francisco, but he is also frequently spotted applying his veteran leadership in mobile-local technology at many industry events, including CTIA, BIA/Kelsey, Borrell Associates, Search Marketing Expo and many more. That’s because he’s equipped with teleportation, so he can quickly leave one location and appear in another. With omnipresence saving him so much time, Exodus is able to further xAd’s sales, advertising partnerships and marketing operations within the mobile-local marketplace.

By being everywhere all the time, Craig was able to achieve two degrees in business administration — a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree from Duke University. From then on, he has applied himself to influencing the industry with unparalleled impact for nearly 20 years, during which he directed sales and consumer-marketing leadership for hardware and service-based companies in the PC, wireless and broadband-Internet sectors.

Credentials:

• Chief Marketing Officer at Axesstel, where he oversaw sales, marketing and new-product development, as well as investor and media activities
• Management positions at AIR2LAN, a regional provider of broadband-Internet services
• General Manager, Vice President and Senior Director at SkyTel Communications, where he developed consumer strategies and built partnerships with major retailers and telecommunication providers
• Manager of Market Planning and Product Management at Epson America, a position that enabled him to author the market-entry plan for a $150-million, multimedia product line

Ron Merritt (aka Reflex)
Senior Vice President of Sales

LinkedIn

In charge of our sales team at Charlotte base, Reflex must be quick on his feet in order to lead our growing department, as well as develop and implement our strategic sales plan. With cat-like reflexes and lightning-quick speed, this superhero relies on his innate instincts to be a master of efficiency.

Along with those super skills come high levels of octane endurance and bottomless stamina to go the extra mile and to withstand even the most complex undertaking like a breeze. His record of sales excellence and 14 years of executive leadership prove that. And when he’s not serving the x(Ad)-Men like the true spark plug that he is, Reflex is a loving husband, proud father of two, avid golfer and baseball coach.

Credentials:

• Has a degree in finance and economics from the University of Maryland
• Vice President of Local Sales at Yodle, where he created a national-sales unit, formed a strategic-partner team and helped grow the organization from a small start-up to being listed on Inc. 500’s list of fastest-growing companies
• Vice President of Sales at IAC
• Various executive-leadership positions in the Yellow Pages industry

Babak Dehnad (aka Flex)
Vice President of Global Human Resources

LinkedIn

Our human-resources guru, Babak got his superhero training as a technical recruiter and later as a multi-faceted HR specialist at various start-ups, before going on to hold leadership positions at various software and technology companies. Due to his graduation from superhero training, he was dubbed Flex. And that’s when he joined xAd, where he is asked to wear many hats to keep the x(Ad)-Men supercharged with tiptop talent. Actually, he doesn’t usually wear hats, but he possesses extreme elasticity to adapt to the many situations that require his expertise.

Whether developing policies and procedures, staying abreast of HR best practices or recruiting top talent worldwide, Flex molds himself to fit unique situations with one goal in mind: to help people live to their potential every day and at work. In doing so, Flex actually develops business results through people. When not progressing the x(Ad)-Men toward greatness, Flex adapts to home life as a loving husband and father in Portola Valley, California.

Credentials:

• Held leadership roles at Phoenix Technologies (acquired by private equity firm in 2010), MySQL (acquired by Sun Microsystems for $1 billion in 2008), Taleo Corporation (successful IPO in 2005), Zambeel and QRS Corporation (now Inovis)
• Has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from UC Davis

Senior Management Team

Sunil Kumar | Co-founder & Vice President of Monetization | LinkedIn

Chandra Kholia | Co-founder & Vice President of Engineering | LinkedIn

Ankur Gupta | Vice President of Technology | LinkedIn

Dan Hight | Vice President of Business Development | LinkedIn | Twitter

Monica Ho | Vice President of Marketing | LinkedIn | Twitter

 

For more information about our super team and company, follow us on LinkedIn.