Brian Burke
Seattle,WA
Summary
High-energy executive with proven track record in steering organizations toward success through strategic planning, operational excellence, and effective management. Skilled in building cohesive teams with a foundation of trust and execution, driving innovation, new client acquisition and development, and creating organizational efficiencies to achieve business objectives. Demonstrated ability to transform market challenges and gaps into opportunities, resulting in significant impact on company growth, profitability, and outcomes.
Overview
2
2
Languages
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Advisor
RAVEL
Seattle, Washington
04.2026 - Current
Advisor
Intentional Futures
Seattle, WA
12.2025 - Current
COO and Board Member
RAVEL
09.2020 - 04.2024
- Company Overview: RAVEL delivers intelligent workload orchestration for AI and HPC infrastructure. Its flagship product, RAVEL Orchestrate AI, enables power-aware, high-efficiency workload execution across accelerated infrastructure—helping organizations maximize GPU utilization, performance, cost efficiency, and operational control.
- Hired by CEO and Board to drive operational excellence and co-lead business development efforts
- Amended product portfolio to maximize focus on flagship offering and market opportunities with Generative Al and associated compute
- Optimized all system and business expenditures including an 80% reduction of HPC costs through strategic renegotiation of 8-figure commitment
- Built key tech partnerships with HP, Nvidia, Adobe, and Autodesk, and relationships with numerous channel partners and clients in content creation industries
CEO and Board Member
Smashing Ideas - Bertelsmann & Luxoft/DXC
05.2014 - 09.2019
- Company Overview: Smashing Ideas is a Design and Innovation Agency that partners with Global Fortune 500 companies and start-ups to help them design, build and launch category defining digital products, experiences and services. Smashing was sold to Bertelsmann/Random House in 2011 and was later acquired by Luxoft/DXC in 2018.
- Promoted to CEO in May 2014 to redefine strategy and lead Smashing as an independent agency within Bertelsmann
- Transformed operational workflow and strategic planning to enhance profitability and company growth
- Restructured Leadership Team roles and organization to better match growth trajectory, market relevance, and client management functions
- Achieved 80% net-new client acquisition with a 40% average bill-rate increase
- Improved revenue and profitability by maintaining P&L to meet prime fiscal responsibility - realized highest revenue and EBITDA in company history in first 18 months
- Closed multi-year 7-8 figure client contracts with Global Fortune 1000 companies including Philips, Boeing, BMW, Johnson Controls, and others for their highest-priority product innovation initiatives
- Positioned agency for a strategic sale and led divestiture of Smashing from Bertelsmann/Penguin Random House to Luxoft Holding, Inc/DXC
- Led post-acquisition integration, planning, budgeting and joint global business development efforts
President and Board Member
Smashing Ideas - Bertelsmann/Penguin Random House
05.2011 - 04.2014
- Promoted to President upon the acquisition of Smashing by Bertelsmann/Random House
- Managed global relationship with Bertelsmann and Random House Executives, including inter-company business development efforts, e-publishing innovation, marketing, planning and positioning
- Managed post-acquisition integration of teams and processes to assure maximum productivity between divisions
- Directed operations, corporate strategy, and business development; scaled UX, strategy, and product development teams; grew client roster to include Microsoft, GE, Mattel, Getty Images, Gannett, and others
- Organized and facilitated board meetings, strategic planning sessions, and budgeting
Executive Director and GM Mobile and Devices
Smashing Ideas
07.2005 - 05.2011
- Hired by CEO and Board initially as Managing Director, Corporate Development to help transform Smashing from a boutique animation and games studio to a global digital agency
- Built business development practice - secured first-ever multi-year partnerships, growing revenue 2.5x, while diversifying revenue streams and offerings from primarily US based sources to global partners
- Led corporate development efforts - wrote business plan and launched mobile content aggregation business while accelerating the mobile services business
- Sourced, acquired and managed the UK mobile agency BlueSkyNorth (Smashing Ideas UK)
- Recruited, trained, mentored, evaluated, coached, and managed staff members to ensure success in achieving their goals
- Drove global mobile partnerships with Adobe, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Verizon and others
- Launched first ever, agency e-publishing business which led to partnerships with multiple publishing companies
- Positioned agency as an attractive acquisition target, identifying and co-leading sale of Smashing to Bertelsmann/Random House
Sr. Director, Business Development
Zango
08.2003 - 06.2005
- Company Overview: Zango was a PE-backed Ad Tech start-up
- Hired by CEO and Board to create Zango's Consumer Value Proposition and build new products
- Built Zango content subscription service and Business Development team from scratch from $0 to $12M ARR run-rate in 18 months
- Assisted in closing $40M investment from Spectrum Equity
- Member of M&A Team sourcing, evaluating and pursuing strategic acquisitions
Director, Strategic Partnerships
Vendaria
04.2002 - 05.2003
- Company Overview: Vendaria was a venture-backed Ad-Tech start-up that provided digital merchandising tools and services for manufacturers and retailers
- Hired by Founder and CEO to lead all business development efforts
- Created breakthrough net-new partnerships with Amazon, MSN, Yahoo, Bosch and more generating over 30% of company revenue
Vice President of Syndication
Atom Entertainment
01.2001 - 06.2001
- Company Overview: AtomFilms was a venture-backed, category-defining, pre-YouTube broadband entertainment network offering original short subject movies, animations, and series by independent creators (Atom merged with Shockwave.com to create Atom Entertainment and was later acquired by Viacom/MTV)
- Expanded joint Atom + Shockwave content deals post-merger to include both film and games distribution to leading CDNs and publishers.
- Developed and executed strategic plans to support content acquisition and advertising departments
Director of Business Development
AtomFilms
11.1998 - 12.2000
- Hired by Founder/CEO as 5th employee with focus on leading all business development and sales efforts
- Built first revenue generating partnerships for Atom, later scaling syndication revenue to represent nearly 50% of overall company revenue with highest gross margin
Sales Operations Manager
Imation
01.1997 - 06.1998
- Company Overview: Imation Publishing Software, formerly a division of Adobe and Aldus, developed and marketed enterprise level software for the prepress, printing and advertising industries
- Managed daily operations of the sales team including systems, CRM, hiring, training, and performance evaluations
- Assisted Leadership with post-acquisition integration activities with Imation
Sales Representative
Adobe / Aldus
01.1994 - 01.1997
Education
M.A. - European Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Belgium01-1993
B.A. - Communication Studies
Seattle University
01-1991
Gonzaga in Florence Italy
Gonzaga University
01-1989
Skills
- Business Forecasting
- Strategic Planning
- New Business Development
- Process Improvement
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Team Building
- Corporate Governance
- Revenue Growth
- Contract Negotiation
- Operational Excellence
Affiliations
- Avid Skier - I dedicate months to training and conditioning for epic and sometimes non-epic ski seasons throughout the Cascades and Rockies with family and friends
- Cyclist - I love to ride the road and dirt, as a daily commuter, for fun and continued conditioning
- Musician - I'm a songwriter, guitarist and drummer, having played professionally in numerous punk and alt-rock bands in Seattle, on-stage, on tour, on the radio, and sometimes in basements
Accomplishments
- Bertelsmann Chairman's Roundtable 2013 - chosen as one of twenty global executives to participate in a year-long international forum to develop innovative business ideas and plans for Bertelsmann's digital future
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Italian
Professional
Timeline
Advisor
RAVEL
04.2026 - Current
Advisor
Intentional Futures
12.2025 - Current
COO and Board Member
RAVEL
09.2020 - 04.2024
CEO and Board Member
Smashing Ideas - Bertelsmann & Luxoft/DXC
05.2014 - 09.2019
President and Board Member
Smashing Ideas - Bertelsmann/Penguin Random House
05.2011 - 04.2014
Executive Director and GM Mobile and Devices
Smashing Ideas
07.2005 - 05.2011
Sr. Director, Business Development
Zango
08.2003 - 06.2005
Director, Strategic Partnerships
Vendaria
04.2002 - 05.2003
Vice President of Syndication
Atom Entertainment
01.2001 - 06.2001
Director of Business Development
AtomFilms
11.1998 - 12.2000
Sales Operations Manager
Imation
01.1997 - 06.1998
Sales Representative
Adobe / Aldus
01.1994 - 01.1997
M.A. - European Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
B.A. - Communication Studies
Seattle University
Gonzaga in Florence Italy
Gonzaga University