Richard A. Lear

Managing Partner

[email protected]
Direct: (650) 275-3631

LinkedIn

Completed Executive Searches

Richard has led more than 300 executive searches for leading technology companies. His current search focus is within AI / Machine Learning, Data Science and Analytics, Products and Engineering. Recent wins include Amazon, Sojern, OpenTable, Rocket Fuel, Homer Logistics and Universal Music Group (UMG). Richard has founded and overseen product management for four Silicon Valley-based businesses, including iView, (interviewing platform), RichMedia Networks (customer lifecycle management) and Greenwave International, Inc.

Previously, Richard was a founding partner at both Vantage Communications and Lear, Herrerias, and Lee. He began his executive search career as a senior associate at the Stratford Group.

Richard received his bachelors In Economics with honors from Brown University. He’s also completed additional engineering and venturing coursework at Georgia Tech, UC Berkeley and the Kellogg School of Management.

Richard has founded four Silicon Valley-based businesses, including TalentValue (SaaS performance and retention Platform), iView, (interviewing platform), RichMedia Networks (customer lifecycle management) and Greenwave International, Inc.

Domain Focus

AI/Machine Learning, Data Science and Analytics 57% 57%
Engineering 25% 25%
Products 18% 18%

Overview

Founder and chief product officer of four Silicon Valley-based companies in media, SaaS, human capital and consumer electronics. Responsible for the launch of 11 products.

Highly quantitative and analytical recruiter with an affinity for highly technical roles.

Three favorite product guru placements:

Jeff Weiner at Warner Bros, now CEO, Linked-In
Ben Golub at pre-IPO Verisign, now CEO, Docker
Rick Jackson at Apple/IBM JV, Taligent, now CMO, Qlik

Richard led the search for our head of Operations Research at Homer Logistics. This was a very technical hire, and it required a recruiter with the ability to understand and differentiate the technical challenges we were facing in order to bring qualified candidates through the door. Richard not only grasped the business and technical challenges effectively and communicated those to candidates, he also put us in a position of choosing between multiple, extremely qualified individuals at the end of the search. Our interaction with Richard has been the best compared to multiple retained recruiters we have used in the course of senior hiring. I would emphatically recommend Rich to anyone looking to hire a technical leader at their company.

Adam Price

CEO, Homer Logistics

Rich and his team at Vantage have helped us fill several VP and Senior Director level roles at both Zone Labs and MarkMonitor. Rich listens well, runs a good process and has helped us land key players. I’d gladly recommend him as a tier one recruiter in the tech sector.

Irfan Salim

CEO, Mark Monitor and Zone Labs

Rich Lear has always been there to help our teams get top talent when we needed it. He is a trusted though leader and a true professional. He brings his clients so much more than great talent. He helps guide, direct and evolve the executive/tech recruiting solution and in turn you get a lot more than you pay for! Rich and his exceptional team(s) are committed to a true partnership that will always set you up for success.

Karen Kesner

VP Talent Acquisition, Audible, a subsidiary of Amazon

Rich is one of the best in the industry…dives into a search with real vigor, intellect and thorough understanding of the needs of the clients.

Gamiel Gran

Partner, Sierra Ventures

Rich built out a tremendous, entrepreneurial management team for Betfair USA. He is a super business partner who understands the kind of person it takes to grow a startup. Rich is a pleasure to work with, and I look forward to working with him again.

He was very quick to clarify our needs, and delivered highest quality candidates.

Gerard Cunningham

Founder and President, BetFair

Rich and his team partnered with us at Rocket Fuel resulting in a number of hires for our growing data science team. I appreciated his team’s research, market insights, and teamwork in helping land some of the most sought-after profiles in the Valley. Rich is well connected, data-driven, and always keeps focused on client goals. I look forward to working with his team again soon.

Mark Langlie

Director of Recruiting, RocketFuel

Richard is a great talent acquisition consultant. I call him a consultant because that is how approaches his clients. He builds relationships and becomes a trusted advisor. He spends a lot of time understanding the client’s needs and he gives great advice on softer skills/requirements that helps his clients get the best candidate in a holistic way. He helped me often times think more broadly about the person and he brings a lot of color on every opportunity he presented to me.

I found Rich to be an executive and talent coach. His consulting approach to talent acquisition makes him unique.

Manoj Goyal

SVP, Engineering, OpenX

Recent Placements

Head of Applied Science

March 17, 2017

Chief Scientist

March 14, 2017

Head Data Scientist, Content

January 25, 2017

SVP Engineering

January 18, 2017

VP Products & Marketing

January 16, 2017

VP Product

January 14, 2017

SVP Product

January 12, 2017

CPO

January 9, 2017

VP Engineering

October 11, 2016

SVP Engineering

September 17, 2016

CMO

April 26, 2016

CMO

April 26, 2016

CEO

February 17, 2016

SVP Products

February 17, 2015

President

February 17, 2015

CMO

February 17, 2015

VP Corporate & Business Development

January 17, 2015

GM Business Development

September 17, 2013

SVP Global Online

August 17, 2013

VP Online Marketing

June 17, 2013

CMO

May 17, 2013

VP Marketing

October 17, 2012

VP Marketing

February 17, 2012

CEO

February 17, 2012

COO

February 17, 2012

Recent Searches

DATA SCIENCE and DATA ANALYTICS
Chief Scientist, Rocket Fuel Ad-technology; AI NYSE: FUEL
Head of Data Science, OpenTable Consumer Application, Platform (Owned by Priceline.com)
Head of Applied Science, Amazon

ENGINEERING
SVP Engineering, Acxiom Ad-technology, SaaS, Big Data, Analytics (NASDAQ: ACXM)
SVP Engineering, OpenX Ad-technology, SaaS, (Accel Partners, Index Ventures, SAP Ventures)
SVP Engineering, Demandbase SaaS, (Altos Ventures, Scale Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures)

PRODUCTS
SVP Products, Rocket Fuel Ad-technology NYSE: FUEL
SVP Products, OpenX Ad-technology, SaaS, (Accel Partners, Index Ventures, SAP Ventures)
SVP Products, ZEFR Digital Media, SaaS, Big Data (Shasta Ventures, Softech VC, USVP, IVP)
SVP Products, ZEFR Digital Media, SaaS, Big Data (Shasta Ventures, Softech VC, USVP, IVP)

C-LEVEL
Chief Executive Officer, Campanja Ad-technology, Digital Marketing (Hoxton Ventures, DFJ Spirit)
Chief Executive Officer, Seek Thermal Consumer Electronics
Chief Marketing Officer, Ping Identity Identity Management, Security (General Catalyst, KKR)
Chief Marketing Officer, Centrify Identity Management, Security (Accel Partners, Mayfield, Sigma)

More

Role	Client	Sector
CEO	Ebates	Consumer / Internet
CEO	Mindflash	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
CEO	Mokafive	Enterprise / SaaS
CEO	Proximic	Consumer / Internet
CEO	VoloMedia	Consumer / Internet
CEO	Teleplace	Enterprise / SaaS
GM Consumer	RealNetworks	Consumer / Internet
President	Criteo	Consumer / Internet
VP/GM Business Development	Songkick	Consumer / Internet
SVP Global Online	Webroot	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
SVP Sales & Marketing	RealNetworks	Consumer / Internet
VP Business Development	Anchor Intelligence	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
VP Business Development	BEA	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Business Development	FaceTime	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Business Development	Pubmatic	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
VP Business Development	Retrevo	Consumer / Internet
VP Business Development	Teros	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Corporate & Business Development	Announce Media	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Global Services Ventures, Azure Capital	Zend	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Human Resources	MarkMonitor	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Interactive	AOL	Consumer / Internet
VP Marketing	Adchemy	Consumer / Internet
VP Marketing	Betfair	Consumer / Internet
VP Marketing	FaceTime	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	FireEye	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	Lynda.com	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	Mokafive	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	Nearby Now	Consumer / Internet
VP Marketing	OnVantage	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	Plum	Consumer / Internet
VP Marketing	RingCube	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing	Teros	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Marketing & Product Management	Untangle	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Media	Adchemy	Consumer / Internet
VP Online Marketing	Total Defense	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Product Management	Retrevo	Consumer / Internet
VP Product Marketing	BEA	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Products	Mokafive	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Publisher Services	PubMatic	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
VP Sales	NeoScale	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Sales	Teros	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Sales	Untangle	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Sales	Zend	Enterprise / SaaS
VP Sales	Zone Labs	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
VP Strategic Sales	PSS Atlas	Enterprise / SaaS
VP/GM	Telephia	Consumer / Internet :: Mobile / Wireless
Corporate Controller	Google	Consumer / Internet
CMO	ScanCafe	Consumer / Internet
CMO	CourseSmart	Consumer / Internet :: Enterprise / SaaS
CMO	WideOrbit	Enterprise / SaaS
CMO	Zend	Enterprise / SaaS
COO	Komli	Consumer / Internet
CRO	Betfair	Consumer / Internet