Firework platform adds new executives to team
Firework, a "shoppertainment" platform with shoppable video, live streaming commerce and monetization capabilities had added four new executives to its new leadership team. Suzanne Strasser Grant, Steve Stafford, Eva Wang and Mark Wurtzel will be the newest additions to Firework’s team.
The San Mateo, CA-based company works with over 600 brands, retailers and media groups, including Albertsons, Heinz and the PGA Tour, and has raised $100 million in capital to date.
“We’re very excited to have such accomplished leaders joining our team,” said Vincent Yang, co-founder and CEO of Firework. “With decades of combined leadership experience and impeccable track records at the topmost echelons of the business world, Suzanne, Steve, Eva, and Mark will all be instrumental in Firework’s continued success. Ultimately, the full scope of Firework’s success will be predicated upon the quality of our personnel and the expertise they bring to our day-to-day operations and decision-making. And to that end, we couldn’t ask for a better group of professionals to join our growing team.”
Suzanne Strasser Grant has joined Firework as its new SVP, global head of agency and strategic partnerships. She has over 25 years of experience in sales and business development, having held leadership positions at Google, Snap, NBCU and Uber. Prior to joining Snap as their first director of global agency business development, Strasser Grant spent nearly nine years at Google at the forefront of their new media platforms, including Search, Google TV Ads , Display, Video and the Upfront Deal teams.
Mark Wurtzel has joined as Firework’s new VP, head of brand solutions. Prior to joining Firework, Mark spent 13 years at Google, leading multiple teams across search activation, large customer success and sales activation, and television advertising. Before his time at Google, Mark spent nearly 15 years at Sony Pictures Television where he led west coast syndication sales as SVP of western region syndication while previously managing the division’s syndication research efforts.
Eva Wang has become Firework’s new head of commerce and partnerships, where she is responsible for the company’s commercial expansion and strategic partnership growth. Prior to joining Firework, Wang held multiple leadership roles at American Express, most recently heading up their U.S. acquiring partnership team. In her role, she was responsible for the company’s strategic relationships with leading global payment providers.
Finally, Steve Stafford has joined Firework as the company’s newest head of retail, leading all retail relationships for the business worldwide. Stafford’s past experience includes work in the fields of accounting and consumer packaged goods. More recently, Stafford spent over 10 years disrupting the retail space with digital and omni-channel initiatives at Albertsons Companies and Sears Holdings Corporation.