For the opportunities that
keep landing back on the
CEO’s desk.
Full Court takes on the opportunities that matter but do not have a clear owner inside the company.
Experience behind Full Court
My career has spanned strategy, M&A, partnerships, business building, and emerging technology. It is the kind of cross-functional work that often ends up on a CEO’s desk.
Important opportunities become CEO jobs by default.
Every company has important opportunities that do not have an obvious owner. It could be a new market, a major partnership, a new business idea, or something else that falls outside the normal scope of the team. Because nobody is clearly responsible for it, it usually ends up with the CEO.
Full Court takes it on so the CEO does not have to.
Who you’ll be working with
I started in tech and media M&A on Wall Street before moving to Electronic Arts, where I worked on corporate strategy and acquisitions during the rise of mobile and social gaming. I later joined CAA, where I built new businesses and worked across entertainment, technology, and venture investing. From there, I moved into operating roles at venture-backed companies founded by Mark Cuban and Rob McElhenney.
In each of those environments, I kept getting pulled into the same kind of work: figuring out whether an opportunity was worth pursuing and then taking responsibility for moving it forward. That is what Full Court is built on.
Degree in accounting with an emphasis in finance.
M&A transactions
M&A and Corporate Strategy
I spent my early career in tech and media mergers & acquisitions at Bear Stearns and Bank of America, executing over $2 billion in buy-side and sell-side transactions.
I then moved into corporate development at Electronic Arts, where I identified strategic gaps and executed acquisitions, including Chillingo (publisher of Angry Birds and Cut the Rope), that helped establish EA as a major player in mobile gaming.
Building New Businesses and Closing Deals
At Creative Artists Agency (CAA), I joined the Business Development group, where we built new businesses for the agency, invested in startups, and advised major technology and media companies.
I created the agency’s mobile games and apps division and built it into a new line of business, generating over eight figures in revenue for A-list talent across entertainment, music, and sports.
As part of the five-person investment team at CAA Ventures, a $20 million seed fund, I helped build a portfolio that included Giphy (acquired by Facebook), Meerkat (acquired by Epic Games), and Drone Racing League (acquired by Infinite Reality).
Through CAA’s Corporate Consulting arm, I signed and managed global technology and media companies representing seven figures in annual retainers, including leading the agency’s engagement with LINE, a messaging platform with over 220 million users, on US market entry.
companies
Building and Operating Venture-Backed Companies
At WAV Media, backed by NAVER, I built out the company’s partnerships from scratch, closed seven-figure deals, and helped raise $50 million in funding.
At Radical App, Mark Cuban’s venture studio, I served as COO across the portfolio, owned the P&L, and led a turnaround of the Dust product that drove a 60% increase in organic downloads and tripled user retention.
At Adim, co-founded by Rob McElhenney and backed by a16z crypto, I led business development and strategy alongside the founders and ran the analysis behind major strategic decisions.
I would rather they told you.
“He has the unique ability to execute complex corporate initiatives while also shepherding startups through early growth stages.”
“He treated the company like his own. He would always ask critical questions to further the projects and improve everyone’s work.”
“His ability to grind a problem down to its core, isolating what is truly important to the business and worthy of everyone’s efforts.”
“Dave is an incredible leader with deep knowledge of building amazing teams and even better products. His work ethic is contagious and he continually brings out the best in all those around him.”
“He demonstrated an ability to build and execute on strategies that combined technology and entertainment, and he did this seamlessly.”
“He has an amazing ability to connect and work with executives and different domain experts. He applies his knowledge into actionable steps.”
“Anywhere he goes he brings a wealth of knowledge and relationships with him.”
“His start-up operations experience on top of his finance and business development background makes him a triple threat.”
Bring in Full Court when the next move needs a senior owner.
New Ventures
The company has an opportunity to launch a new vertical, product line, or market but nobody is driving it. It needs someone to determine whether it is worth pursuing and lead it if it is.
Strategic Partnerships
A partnership, distribution deal, or commercial relationship could meaningfully change the business but it needs to be developed, structured, and negotiated across multiple internal and external stakeholders.
IP and Talent Commercialization
There is valuable IP, talent, or an audience that could become a significant business, but the model, the partners, and the path to market have not been worked out.
Acquisitions & Investments
A potential acquisition, investment, or strategic transaction needs to be evaluated, structured, and driven to a decision.
Tell me what keeps landing back on your desk.
It does not need to be fully defined. A clear opportunity and an open question are both good places to start.