JIM WILLSON
linkedin.com/in/jimwillson |- |-
SUMMARY
Strategic Business Development and Partnerships Executive with over 15 years of experience driving innovation,
revenue growth, and ecosystem expansion for leading gaming and technology companies. Demonstrated track
record of forming high-impact partnerships, exceeding revenue targets, and leading cross-functional teams to
achieve exceptional results. Collaborative leader with a history of success across multiple sectors: Consumer
Electronics, Mobile, Gaming, and Emerging Technologies.
Key Accomplishments:
●
Revenue Generation: Drove $1M in revenue as Director of Business Development at Glu Mobile.
●
Ecosystem Expansion: Increased Samsung VR video library by 3,900% and MAU by 650% as Director of
Immersive Products & VR at Samsung Electronics America.
●
Partnership Formation: Grew foldable smartphone ecosystem partnerships by 450% as Director of
Partnerships at Samsung Electronics America.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Sabbatical
Jan 2023 – Dec 2024
Samsung Electronics America
Director, Partnerships
Dallas, TX
Jan 2019 – Dec 2022
Developed and implemented service partnership strategy for foldable smartphone applications. Hired, trained, and
supervised a team of 4.
● Negotiated and executed development contracts, with terms for development funding, deliverables, and
marketing commitments. Expanded and managed partner ecosystem, including billion-dollar brands.
● Increased foldable ecosystem partnerships 450% through partnership management, in collaboration with
global partnership teams and Google.
● Negotiated and closed service contracts with global enterprises such as Zoom, Signal, The Wall Street
Journal, Chase, ESPN, and Intuit.
Director, Mobile Product Innovation
Feb 2017 - Jan 2019
Oversaw partnership and technology strategy to drive U.S. mobile product innovation. Directed emerging
technology initiatives, including discovery, validation, and partnership formation.
● Led global, cross-functional teams to drive proof-of-concept exploration for pre-commercial projects. Led
partner outreach and negotiated contracts with terms for development funding, licensing fees, and exclusivity.
● Increased emerging technology partnerships by 150%, enabling team to ideate and actualize new product
concepts.
● Generated quarterly technology, market, and consumer insights that drove feature innovation for flagship
smartphone product development in conjunction with HQ teams.
Director, Immersive Products & VR
Aug 2014 - Feb 2017
Led content acquisition and programming strategy for Samsung VR. Oversaw VR content lifecycle, from initial
partnership identification through product launch.
● Negotiated and closed 40 licensing contracts with content creators such as 20th Century Fox, WWE, NBA,
Refinery29, The USOC, Spike TV, Pepsi/Mountain Dew, and Conde Nast Entertainment.
● Led cross-functional projects involving global team to create content that met broad organizational objectives
such as NBA All Star Weekend (2015 & 2016) and The USOC’s Road to Rio Tour (2016).
● Increased Samsung VR video library by 3,900% and monthly active users by 650% via a comprehensive data
driven growth strategy that included development of creator partnerships, creator support initiatives, and
increased production of user-generated content via third-party creator programs.
Director, Business Development
Jul 2013 - Aug 2014
Led services partnership strategy for US carrier services team. Acted as primary interface between Samsung
Mobile and Tier 1 carrier account teams. Drove retail innovation to maximize value from service partnerships.
● Increased acceptance rate from 60% to 85% for first-and third-party preload sell-ins across Tier 1 carrier
accounts on 2 flagship Galaxy smartphones.
● Managed collaboration between US team and Samsung HQ to develop and deliver anti-theft solution for US
market. Enabled creation and launch of Find My Mobile functionality for Galaxy S4.
Glu Mobile
Director, Business Development & OEM
San Francisco, CA
Sep 2012 - May 2013
Led global partnership and business development strategy across OEM and platform divisions. Negotiated service
contracts to integrate proprietary technologies and features into Glu Mobile game franchises.
● Generated $1M in revenue in less than 8 months by leveraging existing relationships with OEM partners and
cultivating new partnerships with industry leaders such as Samsung Electronics.
Konami Digital Entertainment
Assoc. Director, Sales & Business Development
Los Angeles, CA
Dec 2008 - Jun 2012
Led mobile business for the Americas. Oversaw product strategy, roadmap development, and partnerships across
all distribution channels.
● Established Konami’s App Store business in the Americas. Increased iOS revenue 2000% within one year and
created a multimillion-dollar annual revenue stream.
CORE COMPETENCIES
• New Business Development
• Product Innovation & Integration
• Partner Relationship Management
• Revenue & Profit Growth
• Contract Negotiation
• Partner Ecosystem Expansion
• Strategic Partnerships & Execution
• Team Leadership & Development
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
CERTIFICATIONS
Bring Your Own Laptop, Adobe Photoshop Essentials
Google, Digital Marketing & E-commerce Specialization
Bring Your Own Laptop, Adobe Lightroom Essentials
Vanderbilt University (Online), Prompt Engineering Specialization
Duke University (Online), Decentralized Finance: The Future of Finance Specialization
UC Berkeley (Online), Blockchain Fundamentals Professional Certificate
EDUCATION
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Feb 2025
Sept 2024
Apr 2024
Jan 2024
May 2022
Apr 2022
