John Mertl

John Mertl is an executive with 17 years of operational, executive, and consulting experience. He has worked across diverse industries in Canada, the US, the UK, Europe, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa.

Most recently, as a management consultant to numerous technology firms, he has achieved the following results:

Technology Companies

  • Developed the fundamental economic value-added pricing model as well as the complete legal licensing documentation for a global mobile 3G network software company, ensuring that the company is now positioned to negotiate and win eight-figure contracts with leading mobile operators around the world.
  • Restructured a struggling business unit in a global geophysical software company by identifying and validating a new high-growth market opportunity, defining the company’s value proposition, and developing the business unit’s client engagement model, sales model, and initiating strategy. His work resulted in the hiring of new management and renewed investment in its now clearly defined line of business.
  • Defined and validated market requirements, economic and business models, and go-to-market and competitive strategies for the CEO of a series B automation software company targeting the Fortune 500. This analysis formed the basis for refocusing the business, receiving additional financing, and hiring new management.
  • Diagnosed and led the restructuring of sales, professional services, and post-sales functions, processes, and teams for the CEO of a pre-IPO security application software company. This work led to signing, implementing, and launching Verizon, BellSouth (now AT&T), Adelphia (now TimeWarner), NTL (now Virgin Media), Telewest (now Virgin Media), and Ono SA within 12 months. John also remediated and grew the account value of the company’s at-risk accounts, expanding their subscriber base from 0.5m to 15m.
  • Authored the market strategy, financial value proposition, competitive positioning, and go-to-market strategy for the lead investor and CEO of a series A SaaS retail management and analytics software company. John also defined target customers and implemented sales processes for the organization. His work resulted in focused, profitable growth and a sustained market position.
  • Authored the value proposition, identified target clients, and pinpointed a unique selling proposition for the CEO of an embedded software development toolkit company targeting the medical device, automotive, and defence industries. His work resulted in a fully refocused product sales strategy and accelerated client acquisitions.
  • Defined the economic value proposition, performed market opportunity analysis, and identified the go-to-market strategy, business, and operating plans for the lead investor and CEO of a development-stage object-oriented software development tools company targeting global radio designers (e.g. Thales, Boeing) of software defined radios. His work resulted in reference client sign-on, investment follow-on, and series A financing.
  • Defined the market opportunity, target customer segments, market size, competitive analysis, and value proposition and positioning for the CEO of a development-stage clinical informatics start-up. This analysis formed the basis of a business plan for series A investment of $5 million from a tier 1 venture capital firm.
  • Redesigned sales engagement model and sales processes to enable a rapidly growing electronics design firm to ensure predictable revenue generation and forecasting. John also implemented a sales management and forecasting system and lead generation function. His work resulted in high-accuracy revenue forecasts and future-focused sales management practices.

Investors

Performed market and technical due diligence on an electronic commerce company for one of Canada’s largest venture capital firms. This work resulted in the investment being declined based on in-depth analysis of the competitive market.

Background

Prior to his career in consulting, John was the CEO of Tomoye, a venture-backed enterprise software company. Under his leadership, Tomoye raised its series A funding, increased revenues by 450% and 300% annually, won the coveted Fast Company “Fast 50 Award” (2002) and was runner-up for the prestigious Branham Award (2002). Customers included John Deere, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, US Department of Defense, Internal Revenue Service, The United Nations, and UNESCO.

Before being recruited to join Tomoye, John was the Vice President Marketing at Calian Technologies Ltd., a TSE-listed global technology services solutions provider, where he led the integration of the sales force, re-branded the company, and played a key role in boosting revenues from $40 to $140 million from 1998 to 2000.

Prior to joining Calian, John led sales and marketing for TSE-Listed Microstar Software Ltd. (acquired by OpenText Corporation), where he improved revenues by more than 650% in two years, built and managed a global sales force, and developed a top-tier roster of clients that included Chase, Boeing, Hitachi, Cisco, and Microsoft.

John began his career selling and managing sophisticated, multi-million-dollar engineering data management solutions to Fortune 500 and government accounts across North America. His clients included the world’s largest defence/aerospace companies such as Boeing, McDonald Douglas, Lockheed Martin, Hitachi, Texas Instruments, and US and Canadian government departments and agencies.

Industries
  • Telecom
  • Cable and wireless
  • Cleantech
  • Defence/Aerospace
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Resources and mining
  • Government
Positions
  • CEO
  • GM
  • VP Sales
  • VP Marketing
Clients
  • Radialpoint
  • Geosoft
  • SiteBrand
  • Mobidia
  • FondsFTQ
  • Fidus
Experience
  • Private and public company experience
  • Mergers, acquisitions and IPOs
Education
  • John read Philosophy (Logic) and Classics at the University of Ottawa and the Université de Bordeaux.