Tom Merkli
MBA from Australian Graduate School of Management. Currently working as European Product Marketing Manager at Yahoo Europe Ltd.
| Headline: | Innocent Bystander |
| Skills: | Business, English, French, German, Guerrilla marketing, Languages, Management, Marketing |
| Groups: | Online Advertising Professionals (OAP) |
| Interested in: | Helping friends, Meeting new people, Professional opportunities |
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | Yahoo Europe Ltd., London, United Kingdom |
| Position: | European Product Marketing Manager |
| Time period: | July 2007 - Present |
| Description: | Create and market Yahoo’s sophisticated suite of advertising targeting products (Behavioural, Geo, Demographic, Psychographic, Technographic & Data Driven Targeting) in Europe working with markets across the region to understand and execute upon local business requirements. In particular, I evaluate market opportunities, technical requirements, available resources, and develop product marketing plans accordingly.
Furthermore I convey back market/country requirements to the US headquarter and ensure that these needs are being met by Yahoo! centralized engineering and development teams. In addition I work closely with the product management teams to guide development of the product and take a leadership role by coordinating efforts between other cross-functional teams. Then, I work with the local teams to ensure adequate roll-out plans, packaging, collateral, etc. are developed, and act as a back-up knowledge source to local market teams, and also do direct field training, sales support, and client presentations. I am responsible for developing and presenting product marketing plans and proposals to senior management, as well as providing day-to-day product support to my partners in the regional sales teams. |
| Employer: | Betfair Ltd., London, United Kingdom |
| Position: | Product Manager German Markets & Mobile |
| Time period: | January 2006 - June 2007 |
| Description: | As Product Manager German Markets: Planning and execution of Betfair’s product strategy and offerings for the German markets (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) in conjunction with the local strategy team. Leading the development process from gathering of analytical data, competitor and historical data to the definition of new features and requirements based on focus groups and usability tests within the markets. Close collaboration with external and internal stakeholders from both the business as well the technology side. Evangelization of the new product across internal departments. Major achievements: Pushed the product successfully through all internal decision making processes, achieved a highly regarded usability result in the first prototype study. This product is scheduled to launch in the near future.
As Product Manager Mobile: Introduction of the first mobile product for Betfair (Betfair mobile) ; on-going global product management in co-ordination with the product and marketing department. Major achievements: After a short time on the market, the product proofed to be enormous successful with already reaching 50% of the yearly activation target after only 2 months of service. |
| Employer: | Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), Sydney, Australia |
| Position: | Master of Business Administration |
| Time period: | January 2004 - June 2005 |
| Description: | Subjects (selection): International Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Negotiations and Strategy, Organisational Behaviour, Marketing Strategy, International Marketing, Interactive Electronic Marketing, Customer Analysis, Corporate Finance, Economics of E Business, Economic Investment Appraisal, Organisational Structure and Change |
| Employer: | eBay International AG, Berne, Switzerland |
| Position: | Product Manager Austria & Switzerland |
| Time period: | July 2003 - December 2003 |
| Description: | Planned and coordinated product strategies and concepts for the two platforms eBay Switzerland (www.ebay.ch) and eBay Austria (www.ebay.at). Project managed, in conjunction with the business units, both local and international implementation. |
| Employer: | eBay GmbH, Berlin, Germany |
| Position: | Marketing Manager Switzerland |
| Time period: | August 2001 - June 2003 |
| Description: | Planned and implemented marketing activities for eBay Switzerland. Managed all online and off-site activities such as partnerships, trade fairs, charity events etc. Budget responsibility for the marketing measures carried out.
Collaborated on the strategy and budget planning for eBay.ch. Regular travels to Switzerland. Major achievements: Wrote a business plan for the revised, independent Swiss site (www.ebay.ch), received approval from the parent company (eBay Inc.) and successfully launched the new site. Established a PR campaign with a Swiss celebrity, which resulted in a large press coverage in the Swiss media. eBay.ch became the 2nd biggest shopping site within 2 years. |
| Employer: | Sinka.Interactive AG, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Position: | Account Executive / Project Leader |
| Time period: | August 1997 - September 2000 |
| Description: | Planned and executed Internet projects, including briefing analysis, marketing strategies for the Internet, development of the target groups, project management, internal and external briefings (designers and programmers), presentation to the clients, meeting with clients and suppliers on a daily basis. Major clients were Bascom/BASF and Rieter Holding. Conducted research for new business acquisition, identified new internet products (eg. www.callbox.ch), provided assistance to the CEO and recruited new employees together with the human resources department. |
| Employer: | McCann-Erickson, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Position: | Assistant / Junior Account Executive |
| Time period: | December 1995 - June 1997 |
| Description: | As Junior Account Executive: Concentrated on personal client care and counselling, participated in the development of strategies and measures for integrated communications, the independent realisation of all advertising and promotional measures, as well as control, and supervised internal and external projects.
Met with clients and suppliers on a daily basis. As Assistant Account Executive: Co-ordinated various advertising functions, including preparation of cost estimates and timing plans, development of creative and media briefings, checking finished art, supervision of production and timing, as well as preparation of statements and checking of invoices. Clients ranged from various industry segments such as, tobacco, airline, petroleum, and alcoholic beverage. |
| Employer: | Euro RSCG, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Position: | Assistant Account Executive |
| Time period: | September 1993 - November 1995 |
| Employer: | Bandifx AG (Subsidiary of Beiersdorf), Bergdietikon, Switzerland |
| Position: | Commercial Apprenticeship |
| Time period: | August 1989 - August 1992 |
INFORMATION
| Hobbies: | Travelling, scuba-diving, kick-boxing, snowboarding, Video Games, food and wine. |
Tom is Following (1)
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YouNoodle
YouNoodle is a place to discover and support the hottest early-stage companies and university innovation.
Tom's Contacts (3)
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Danielle van Asch- Prevot
Theater/ Women’s Studies from UC Irvine, currently working as Group Manager at YouNoodle.com
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Alessandro De Zanche
Pursuing Master in Sports, Marketing & Communication. Currently working as Head of Operations, Targeting Products - Senior Product/Project Manager at Yahoo! Ltd.