Rene Villegas Chief Marketing Officer, Starry

Company

Starry believes the future is built on connectivity and that connecting people to high-speed, broadband internet should be simple and affordable. Using their innovative, next-generation fixed wireless technology, Starry is deploying gigabit-capable broadband to the home without bundles, data caps or long-term contracts.  They are building a platform for the future by putting their customers first, protecting their privacy and ensuring access to an open and neutral net. Starry is backed by world-class investors including FirstMark Capital, ArrowMark Partners, Fidelity, KKR, and Tiger Global with operations across six markets (Boston, NYC, LA, DC, Denver and Columbus) in the US and an expansion roadmap that will cover 40 million households nationwide.

Search Background

Starry is a fast-growing company with a growing brand and reputation as a customer-centric internet service provider that believes quality, affordable internet access is a social good. Starry was built from the ground up with a relentless focus on the customer experience and was well positioned to bring on a seasoned CMO to serve as the custodian of the brand and customer growth. People who thrive in Starry’s culture and leadership team tend to be highly analytical, able to understand the complexities of the business, and be operationally strong.

Requirements

As a vertically integrated technology company, Starry occupies a unique space, serving as a technology developer and manufacturer and as a service provider with a customer-facing salesforce and marketing operations. In order to continue on its accelerated growth track, Starry required a thoughtful CMO with the skillset to understand how to successfully navigate the complex operations of a broadband provider, navigate broadband market dynamics and scale what is essentially a consumer subscription business at a multimarket, national level. We conducted a national search for this role.

Result

Rene Villegas joined Starry from Amazon, where he was responsible for Marketing, Business Development and Operations across the Subscribe with Amazon business line. Rene had high quality foundational experience earlier in his career with American Express, and had worked for start ups and high growth businesses like TrueCar before landing at Amazon.  Rene’s broad experience as an executive, his strength in Operations and his consumer subscription experience made him a strong fit for Starry’s requirements, and we look forward to seeing his impact in the coming years.