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Erica Gruen

Board Member | CEO | Maker of Things | Leader of People | Entrepreneur | Professor | Transforming organizations.Synthesizing data with creativity.

Erica Gruen is a seasoned media executive and advisor with extensive experience in television, digital media, advertising, and marketing. She has been a Senior Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor at Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips since March 2018.4 Gruen is known for her expertise in the following areas:

  1. Television and digital media
  2. Advertising and marketing
  3. The creator economy

Career Highlights

  • Food Network: Gruen served as President/CEO from 1996 to 1998, where she masterminded a significant turnaround for the network, introducing hit shows like Emeril Live!, The Two Fat Ladies, and The Iron Chef.23

  • Saatchi & Saatchi: She founded Saatchi & Saatchi Interactive, one of the first digital ad agencies on Madison Avenue, and led the creation of groundbreaking websites for major brands.23

  • Quantum Media: Gruen is a principal at Quantum Media, which has been recognized by Forbes as one of "America's Best Management Consulting Companies" for five consecutive years.1

Current Roles

  • Senior Advisor at Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips134
  • Adjunct Clinical Professor at NYU Steinhardt School of Education3
  • Board Director, Advisor, and Mentor at Bolster4

Education

  • M.S. in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison23
  • B.A. with Honors from the University of Michigan2

Erica Gruen is recognized as a creative and visionary leader in the media industry, known for her ability to transform organizations and develop innovative strategies in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.123

Highlights

Aug 11 · linkedin

Wow.

“In 1993, while teaching in Nebraska, [Walz] was part of an inaugural conference of U.S. educators convened by the soon-to-open U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Eight years later, after moving to Minnesota, he wrote a thesis arguing for changes in Holocaust education.

And as governor, he backed a push to mandate teaching about the Holocaust in Minnesota schools.”

Oct 13 · linkedin

More than 1,000 startup founders, operators, and coders in the U.S. have volunteered to help Israeli tech companies that have lost workers, who are reservists who have been called up by Israel after the Hamas attack.

Because of Israel’s compulsory military service and large number of reservists, some startups have seen nearly their entire staff go off to war, according to interviews with half a dozen people connected to the Israeli tech industry.

Zoe and Michael Burian, New York city residents who work in tech and have lived in Israel, came up with the idea to help startups stay afloat: They created a Google form and asked family and friends if they could donate their time to Israeli startups.

Michael said company representatives have told him one of the most immediate needs is administrative. “They don’t have people to answer the phones,” he said.

Some people have offered to volunteer up to 20 hours a week. About 25 Israeli companies had also signed up (on a separate form), and the couple on Thursday was in the process of matching employees with companies.

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Related Questions

What are some of Erica Gruen's most notable achievements in the media industry?
How did Erica Gruen transition from the Food Network to Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips?
What specific strategies does Erica Gruen use in her M&A advisory work?
Can you provide examples of deals Erica Gruen has successfully completed?
What makes Erica Gruen's approach to digital media unique compared to other advisors?
Erica Gruen
Erica Gruen, photo 1
Erica Gruen, photo 2
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Location

New York, New York, United States