Charles Hilliard

Senior executive, board member, advisor and investor with experience that includes leading two venture backed companies through $1 billion+ IPOs (average return during tenure of 11.2x) and advising a $10 billion start-up.

Currently CEO of Hilliard Advisors, a strategic advisory firm, Board Member at CallFire, a cloud-based messaging platform and Advisory Director of Netki, a blockchain identity solution. Recently served as Senior Advisor at Dropbox, a global collaboration platform.

Formerly President & CFO of Demand Media managing over 100 personnel and all aspects of finance, legal, human resources and IT operations. During five-year tenure, the company tripled revenue to over $350 million, returned 5.6x to common shareholders, closed several strategic acquisitions, raised $135 million in private growth equity and, in January 2011, raised $174 million in the first US Internet IPO with a market capitalization of over $1 billion since Google. Demand Media was also the first-ever venture backed US Internet IPO to have Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint bookrunners.

Previously served as President and CFO of NetZero/United Online, a leading provider of consumer services over the Internet. During tenure, the company achieved a 100-fold increase in revenue to over $500 million, returned 16.8x to common shareholders, and became a member of the Standard & Poor’s 600 Index.

Former investment banker with Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch involved with the successful execution of over $30 billion of financing transactions and mergers and acquisitions.

Licensed CPA with extensive public reporting and SEC experience, including successfully appearing before the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant (OCA).