At CEO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Columbia based CEO’ operating in the Product Design space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected]
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Alireza Ameri
Founder and CEO of Buzz Design
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About Buzz Design: Buzz Design is a leading Digital Agency. We grow companies in the digital world.

Tim O’Shaughnessy
President, Founder & CEO of Graham Holdings
Tim O’Shaughnessy is the President, Founder & CEO of Graham Holdings & he Attended Georgetown University in 2000.Timothy O’Shaughnessy became president and chief executive officer of Graham Holdings, effective November 2015. O’Shaughnessy joined the Company as president in 2014 to oversee investments and acquisitions, and to help set a new direction following the sale of The Washington Post. Previously, he served as chief executive officer of LivingSocial, which he co-founded in 2007. During his tenure, the e-commerce and marketing company grew sales to nearly $2 billion. A native of Minnesota and the youngest of four children, O’Shaughnessy was born in 1981. Following his graduation from Georgetown University in 2004 with a BSBA in Marketing, Operations and Information Management, he joined AOL as a product manager. In 2006, he moved to Revolution Health, where he rose to vice president of product development. During that time, he and three others developed a successful series of apps for Facebook. That company grew into LivingSocial, where O’Shaughnessy was CEO for seven years. O’Shaughnessy is a member of the Executive Committee of the Federal City Council. He is married to Laura Graham O’Shaughnessy, a daughter of Donald E. Graham. She is CEO of SocialCode, a social marketing technology company, wholly owned by Graham Holdings. The O’Shaughnessys live in Washington, DC, and have two young children.
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About Graham Holdings: Graham Holdings Company is a diversified education and media company whose operations include educational services.

Almaz Nanjappa
Chief Executive Officer of Momentus Software Inc.
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About Momentus Software Inc.: Momentus is a technology and product design agency.
Brian Lacey
Chief Executive Officer of Mobomo
Brian Lacey was named CEO of Mobomo in April of 2015, since the company has grown around 50% in revenue and 50% in employee growth each year. Under his leadership he has led Mobomo to being named to the Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies (2015,2016), Best Places to Work (2016), Webby Award (2016), Muse Creative Award(2016), DCA Live Media(2016), Top website and mobile developer by Clutch (2015, 2016). Brian serves as a thought leader in the industry recently being named as an industry chair to Advanced Technology Academic Research Center. He received a double B.A. in Economics and Psychology from Claremont McKenna College.
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About Mobomo: Mobomo designs applications for Apple iPhone, Google Android, Palm Pre, RIM Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian OS.
Diane Hoskins
Co-CEO/Executive Director of Gensler
Diane Hoskins, FAIA, is one of two Gensler Co-CEOs. As an MIT-trained architect and an MBA from the Andersen School at UCLA, Diane’s career has spanned architecture, design, real estate, and business. She has broad responsibility in running the firm, which spans over 5,000+ employees networked across 44 offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. She is also Chair of Gensler’s Board of Directors. Diane founded Gensler’s industry leading Research Institute to spark new innovations, elevate human experience, transform communities and create a better world through the power of design. Among the Research Institute’s most recent and groundbreaking IP, Gensler’s Experience Index stands out as a first-of-its kind study proving that design is the key to creating successful retail experiences that improve sales, enhance shopping experiences, build consumer loyalty and engage employees. Diane is a member of a diverse range of outside organizations and initiatives including the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities & Urbanization, and the CEO Initiative by Fortune and Time. Diane was named one of the Business Insider’s 100 Creators list alongside Co-CEO Andy Cohen in 2016. Diane is a sought after media spokesperson and frequent speaker. She has shared her expertise and research with top media outlets, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Financial Times, Bloomberg TV, and many global architecture and design trade publications. She has spoken at many premier conferences, including the Bloomberg Business/CEO Summit and the Economist Human Potential Conference.
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About Gensler: Gensler is a collaborative design firm that has capabilities in design and architecture across 31 practices.
Zeeshan Rasool
Founder, CEO of Hangeh Labs
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About Hangeh Labs, Quupe Technologies: Transforming buildings into communities.

Cindy Gu
Chief Executive Officer of VITALI Wear
Cindy received her formal education in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, and has been fortunate enough to have studied Yoga and trained with the best. Her unconventional background combining the external creativity of engineering and the internal search of yoga and meditation led her to become an entrepreneur who defines her own path. As an engineer, yoga instructor and entrepreneur, the biggest problem she’s inspired to solve is the pandemic technology-drunkenness in modern lifestyle. She’s passionate about bridging technology and wellness together. Currently, she’s leading her start-up Vitali Wear to create next-generation of smart clothing for everyday wellbeing. Starting with breathing better, having better posture and becoming more mindful.
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About VITALI Wear: VITALI Wear provides smart Apparels, bridging innovation and wellness through haptic wearable technology.

Nicholas Houghton
President & CEO of True North Gems
Mr. Houghton is an Accredited Gemologist and is President and Director at True North Gems Inc., with more than 30 years of international experience in the jewellery manufacturing and gemstone exploration industry. Mr. Houghton held senior management positions at both retail and wholesale gemstone companies before establishing his own operation 1994, Elan Diamonds. In 2000, he directed the merger of Elan Diamond and Canadian Diamond Cutters Ltd. to form Cadiam Investments LTD, becoming President and Director of the Vancouver-based polished gemstone marketing company. In 2004, Mr. Houghton joined True North Gems as Vice President Product Development and Marketing and Director, and was subsequently appointed as President in 2009. Mr. Houghton brings a wealth of expertise in marketing and professional design, and business skills focused on advanced project development and expansion, strategic operations management, and financing.
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About True North Gems: True North Gems is a public junior exploration company.
Dogu Taskiran
CEO of Stambol
CEO at Stambol. CTO at Orderinbox. Polymath. Building the #Metaverse, one major piece of technology at a time. Previously of Microsoft, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. Studied at Bilkent University and Middle East Technical University.
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About Orderinbox, Stambol: Immersive Experiences for different verticals through Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Andy Ibbetson
CEO of Agility Technologies Corporation
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About Agility Technologies Corporation: A Communication Technologies Company

Andy Ibbetson
CEO of Agility Technologies Corporation
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About Agility Technologies Corporation: A Communication Technologies Company
Daniel Japiassu
CEO of YDreams Global
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About YDreams Global: YDreams Global is a reference in innovative projects and products that combine technology, design and content.

Angela Hamilton
Co-founder, CEO of Quupe Technologies
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About Quupe Technologies: Quupe is a fully insured community rental platform from Vancouver, Canada.
Niall Conway
CEO / Lead UX Consultant of GOCITY Mobile Inc.
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About GOCITY Mobile Inc.: GOCITY.io is a digital strategy agency specializing in customer centric product design.
Nicole Blank
CEO & Founder of Sunomi
Nikki founder of Sip City. Sip City came to be after years of gut issues, countless homemade concoctions, and the thought that maybe there was an easier and healthier way to be social and healthy and mindful all at the same time. As a college athlete with a *fickle* stomach, I found that all the artificial ingredients in energy and recovery drinks were actually hurting me, not helping me. And as a college student who wanted to keep up with her friends, I relied on those same energy and recovery drinks to mix into cocktails, chase with, and cure my hangovers. After graduating, I took a big step back from those habits, and got to the root of the problem: my gut was out of whack. Lots of tests, doctors appointments, and treatments led me to the simple conclusion: what I put into my body affected how I felt every day. I changed my diet and my lifestyle, and came up with health hacks that fit into my busy day. Between meal prepping, building an active schedule, and juicing and mixing things in my kitchen, I eventually started to feel better. It was during this time that I found switchel: an apple cider vinegar and ginger based drink, that was much easier to make than home brewing kombucha, and all of the ingredients could be found in my pantry already. I immediately fell in love with the taste, the simple ingredients, the rich history of the drink, and all the ways I could use it in my daily life. For me, switchel replaced artificial sports drinks, my kombucha habit, my afternoon coffee, my late-night/early-morning Pedialyte chugging, and the soda and juices I mixed into drinks. I knew I was onto something, but it wasn’t until August 2017 that I decided to put my career in digital news on hold, and start this thing for real. In January 2018, we launched with our first three flavors of switchel in stores. We’re now selling in retail locations throughout the DMV area, and a handful in New York. It’s my hope that our switchel can help someone along the way. Whether you’re looking for a better cocktail mixer, a mocktail alternative, a daily gut-health drink, relief after a long night out on the town, or a post-workout replenisher, our switchel is for you.
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About Sunomi: We make hand-crafted Switchel, sourced from all-natural ingredients, packaged with the utmost attention to functional design

Mike Agerbo
CEO of Blink
As one of Canada’s most well-known technology figures, Mike is an award-winning television producer and veteran TV personality. You can watch him weekly on his GetConnectedTV show on The Business News Network, AMI, CityTV and CHECKTV across the country. His weekly appearances as GlobalBC’s tech expert, reach hundreds of thousands of British Columbians. He can also be heard every Saturday on CKNW AM 980 radio show and the Corus Radio Network throughout Canada. Mike is a successful tech entrepreneur, having founded three successful tech and media companies over the past 20 years, including Chalk Media (sold to Blackberry in 2006) and currently Blink Media, a leading Canadian digital creative agency.
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About Blink: Blink is a creative agency providing social campaigns and digital content.
Liz Hunt
CEO & Co-Founder of Smith Assembly
Liz Hunt is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Smith Assembly. During her 25-year career, at startups and companies like Google, Starbucks, and frog, she has led and grown amazing teams with whom she delivered hundreds of cutting-edge web, desktop, mobile, and embedded solutions released dozens of websites and mobile apps, and launched several products.
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About Smith Assembly: Smith Assembly supports healthier and more inclusive workplace cultures through team building and JEDI training.