Irv Simpson

Experience

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  Digital Equipment Corporation

  Jan 1989 - Nov 1993

  Financial Analyst / Sales Executive

  • As account executive, achieved 143% of goal selling to Municipal and Educational accounts, using distribution partners to leverage 70% of goal.• As financial analyst, responsible for budget planning and analysis of Digital's customer service organization (600 people / $200M annual budget).

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  MDS

  Dec 1993 - Sept 1998

  Vendor Relations Manager

  • Responsible for all information technology and other significant supplier relationships and negotiations across Canada, approx. $30 million in yearly spending, with particular focus on MDS' new business launch of their innovative automated laboratory, AutoLab.• Accountable to deliver savings of 10% savings year over year• Worked with IT and business groups to identify and document business requirements, tie them to appropriate technologies, assess suppliers' ability to deliver, develop agreements with stakeholders to deliver those requirements and manage suppliers to achieve business commitments. Show less

• 

  Apostrophe Software Inc.

  Oct 1997 - Nov 1998

  Principal

  • Responsible for business operations, business development and consulting.• Managed major client projects, including a passport issuing system developed under tight time constraints and delivered and installed in Burkina Faso.

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  Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited

  Feb 1999 - Dec 1999

  Manager, Product Development

  Led team of eight hardware and software developers. Completed final development of advanced full-page passport. Rebuilt team morale and enthusiasm by focusing efforts on new portable travel document reader.

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  Precidia Technologies

  Jan 2000 - Aug 2014

  Product manager using agile project management methods; iterative issue prioritization with frequent builds, issue discovery, testing and resolution, partner training, channel business development, driving processor certifications and customer pilots and supporting beta product programs. • Managed large partner deployments to new product and server platforms and provided advanced level support for key customers• Monitored security issues, communicated to customer base with recommended upgrade paths as necessary.• Responsible for creation, review and recommendations on legal, partner and customer contractual agreements including complex integration and deployments contracts and any software development and licensing agreements.• Managed Precidia's PCI PA-DSS security standards process.• Sole responsibility for drafting SR&ED submissions, including report write-ups and financial project tracking.• Responsible for integrating Precidia products into partner service deployments in Canadian market, leading to 30+% revenue increase in following years. Show less • One of six Precidia founders that secured first round of venture funding.• Developed relationships with targeted channels, drafting and negotiating agreements to develop Canadian marketplace with telcos(Bell Canada, Telus Mobility), network equipment suppliers (Cisco) and payment processors (Moneris, Desjardins).• Developed and managed Precidia Support Service for product beta testing and deployment process, including establishing a customer service framework, creating required supplier and support contracts and documenting processes and service levels.• Developed a high degree of technical competence in troubleshooting protocol and network issues. Show less

  • Business and Product Development

    Aug 2005 - Aug 2014

  • Manager, Emerging Markets

    Jan 2000 - Jul 2005
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  Brutus Consulting

  Sept 2014 - Dec 2015

  Principal

  Brutus Consulting provided product management, business development and business management services to growing technology companies, helping them create, develop and market products to new and existing markets.

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  Psiphon Inc.

  Jan 2016 - now

  Responsibilities focus around three key areas: managing Psiphon grant program, financial operations and process, and growing the skills and capabilities of the operations, busdev and financial operations staff.- manage Psiphon grant program including expanding internal capacity to manage multiple, complex technology projects through project manager training and internal project tools and controls- directly manage large multi-year grants from proposal to award and through to delivery and closeout- build out new methods of tracking and allocating business line costs and revenues to provide managers the tools they need to understand their business and deliver on their commitments- manage and update corporate SOPs to meet Psiphon's growing requirements- build the effectiveness and capabilities of the Outreach/Operations team and assist in transition from an activity-based to a deliverables-based team- assist with key vendor relationship management activities Show less • develop processes to determine advertising business cost and revenue baselines • build professional ad network relationships with aim of growing profitable business • develop and document new product cost and pricing models • analyze supplier network operating costs, make recommendations and implement cost reductions• create and maintain plans for product positioning, product marketing and business development• assist with marketing strategy, product management, business development, financial and business analysis as required. Show less

  • Director Corporate Operations

    Feb 2018 - now

  • Product & Channels Development

    Jan 2016 - Jan 2018