Paul E. Wright
AI, Strategy And Product Leader
Atlantic Highlands,NJ
Summary
Strategic AI and product executive with a proven track record in financial services, civic media, and local media platform innovation. Extensive leadership across startups, Fortune 50 companies, and public-private partnerships. Specializes in driving transformation through AI strategy, ecosystem development, embedded finance, and omnichannel enablement. Currently leading AI strategy, advisory, and go-to-market efforts as a Fractional AI Officer at Beyond Frequency and Ecosystem Leader at LiftForward. Passionate about aligning AI capabilities with business goals to enhance trust, relevance, and ROI.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder and Principal
Beyond Frequency
Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
01.2023 - Current
- Serve as Fractional AI Officer, advising companies on aligning AI initiatives with strategic priorities; especially for those with a local and hyperlocal focus.
- Develop operational AI roadmaps tailored to industry context, resource capacity, and data maturity
- Guide executive teams through capability assessment, vendor selection, and adoption readiness
- Deliver frameworks that bridge business impact with responsible and scalable AI deployment
Vice President, Global Ecosystem and Analytics
LiftForward, Inc.
New York, New York
01.2017 - Current
- Generated $1.2B+ in transaction volume through embedded finance, upgrade and AI-enabled programs
- Led strategy, design and implementation of AI agents to personalize localized upgrade offers and enable retail bundling at scale.
- Directed global GTM strategy, with emphasis on omnichannel execution and partner alignment
- Collaborated with OEMs, Telcos, and resellers to launch embedded finance and upgrade programs
- Led cross-functional teams for the successful completion of major projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
Strategic Advisor, Co-Founder, Chief Product and Operating Officer
Stimulus, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
01.2016 - Current
- Championed innovative thinking within the organization, leading brainstorming sessions aimed at uncovering new ideas and solutions.
- Designed AI-driven relationship intelligence platform to improve supplier diversity and transparency
- Designed predictive analytics and vendor scoring models for enterprise procurement workflows
- Led initial product roadmap, UX, and operational infrastructure for AI-enabled enterprise software
Co-Founder, Strategic Development
OpenAccessX (Non-Profit)
Philadelphia, PA
01.2010 - 01.2020
- Grew the user and advocate base through targeted outreach and networking events.
- Led Smart City benchmarking and inclusive economic development initiatives
- Facilitated public safety innovation through multi-sector data-sharing and policy alignment
- Secured lucrative partnerships by establishing strong relationships with key industry players.
Director, Local Media Development & National Director, Project Open Voice
Comcast Corporation
Philadelphia, PA
01.2011 - 01.2016
- Acquired and relaunched EveryBlock into a GIS-enabled civic media SaaS; later acquired by NextDoor
- Oversaw local rollout of Project Open Voice post-NBCUniversal acquisition; reached 1M+ users
- Integrated web, mobile, television, and civic data into a cross-platform community storytelling model
- Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations.
Co-Founder and Ecosystem Leader
Open Data Philly
Philadelphia, PA
01.2008 - 01.2014
- Launched the first public/private open data platform in the U.S.; foundational for Philly Smart City
- Led coordination between, and activation of, Philadelphia Mayor's Office, City of Philadelphia Office of Innovation and Technology and multiple private companies and data activists.
- Promoted self-service civic data access and ecosystem collaboration across public and private sectors
- Navigated complex legal requirements to ensure compliance with industry regulations while minimizing risk exposure for the initiative.
VP of Strategy
PLAT4M LLC
Atlanta, GA
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Built digital-first content and SaaS platforms
- Collaborated with other senior managers and CEO to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
- Managed financial planning and budgeting processes, ensuring fiscal responsibility and maximizing return on investments.
- Enhanced company profitability by implementing strategic business plans and optimizing operational processes.
- Launched new products or services in various markets by conducting comprehensive market research studies and tailoring offerings based on customer needs analysis.
SVP and Co-Founder
Mediaguide / Frequency Media
Philadelphia, PA
01.2000 - 01.2009
- Created analytics platform for college radio; sold to Mediaguide (later acquired by Clear Channel)
- Enhanced company performance by implementing new strategies and streamlining operations.
- Developed measurement tools, dashboards, and reports to track metrics on adoption and effectiveness of initiatives.
- Championed innovation by encouraging cross-functional teams to pursue creative solutions to complex challenges.
- Secured vital partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company reputation and expanding market reach.
- Collaborated with executive leadership team members on long-term strategic planning that ensured sustainable success for the company.
Manager, Corporate Development
IMAX Corporation
New York, NY
01.1997 - 01.2000
- Led $300M+ in investment and capital initiatives
- Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
- Fostered partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company's reputation and creating new business opportunities.
- Managed budget allocations to prioritize spending on high-impact projects, optimizing resource utilization.
- Increased market share with strategic business development efforts, expanding into untapped markets.
Financial Analyst, Media & Entertainment Group
Bear Stearns
New York, NY
01.1995 - 01.1997
- Supported $2B+ in M&A and capital transactions
- Conducted detailed financial analysis to identify and evaluate changes in operations, trends and potential areas of improvement.
- Streamlined financial reporting for better decision-making with clear, concise analysis and presentation.
- Trained junior analysts on best practices in financial modeling, contributing to a stronger overall team performance.
- Evaluated proposed projects'' ROI using NPV, IRR, and other financial metrics, helping prioritize initiatives with maximum value potential.
Education
NMSDC Accelerate CEO Academy - Executive Program
Rutgers Business School
Jersey City, NJ08.2019
B.A. - Economics and Journalism – Cum Laude, Honors in Economics
Washington And Lee University
Lexington, VA06.1995
Skills
- AI strategy development
Product strategy
Ecosystem strategy
- Embedded financial solutions
- Payments
- GTM planning expertise
- Civic technology
- Local media innovation
Strategic partnerships
- Integrated commerce solutions
- Critical decision-making
- Effective negotiation
- Visionary leadership
- Growth mindset
- Board collaboration
- Channel development
Entrepreneurial mindset
- Innovation management
- Problem-solving abilities
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Executive leadership
- Cross-functional collaboration
Websites
Awards
- EPPY Award – Best Social Media and Crowdsourcing
- Unity Award – Excellence in Digital News
- Multicultural TV Frontrunner Award – Outstanding Video Platform
- Salute to Excellence Award – Digital Storytelling
- Social Network Standard of Excellence – Webby Recognized
- The Made Man Honoree – Leadership in Mentorship and Community Advocacy
Hyperlocal Ai And Media Accomplishments
- Developed federated agent-based architecture for broadcasters and civic platforms
- Built phased deployment models to support audience engagement, ad monetization, and newsroom operations
- Led transformation of civic platform into GIS-based SaaS with measurable user growth
- Pioneered public access to civic data, serving as a model for national open data policies
Accomplishments
- EPPY Award – Best Social Media and Crowdsourcing
- Unity Award – Excellence in Digital News
- Multicultural TV Frontrunner Award – Outstanding Video Platform
- Salute to Excellence Award – Digital Storytelling
- Social Network Standard of Excellence – Webby Recognized
- The Made Man Honoree – Leadership in Mentorship and Community Advocacy
Selected AI and Media Accomplishments
- Hyperlocal AI Strategy: Developed federated agent-based architecture for broadcasters and civic platforms
- AI Enablement for Local TV: Built phased deployment models to support audience engagement, ad monetization, and newsroom operations
- EveryBlock Relaunch: Led transformation of civic platform into GIS-based SaaS with measurable user growth
- Open Data Philly: Pioneered public access to civic data, serving as a model for national open data policies
Timeline
Founder and Principal
Beyond Frequency
01.2023 - Current
Vice President, Global Ecosystem and Analytics
LiftForward, Inc.
01.2017 - Current
Strategic Advisor, Co-Founder, Chief Product and Operating Officer
Stimulus, Inc.
01.2016 - Current
Director, Local Media Development & National Director, Project Open Voice
Comcast Corporation
01.2011 - 01.2016
Co-Founder, Strategic Development
OpenAccessX (Non-Profit)
01.2010 - 01.2020
VP of Strategy
PLAT4M LLC
01.2009 - 01.2011
Co-Founder and Ecosystem Leader
Open Data Philly
01.2008 - 01.2014
SVP and Co-Founder
Mediaguide / Frequency Media
01.2000 - 01.2009
Manager, Corporate Development
IMAX Corporation
01.1997 - 01.2000
Financial Analyst, Media & Entertainment Group
Bear Stearns
01.1995 - 01.1997
NMSDC Accelerate CEO Academy - Executive Program
Rutgers Business School
B.A. - Economics and Journalism – Cum Laude, Honors in Economics
Washington And Lee University
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