Gian M. Fulgoni
comScore, Inc.
Mr. Fulgoni is Executive Chairman and Co-founder of comScore Inc. (NASDAQ:SCOR). Using a database of 2 million Internet users who have given comScore explicit permission to electronically monitor their online behavior, comScore is the global leader in measuring the digital world. comScore data are used by more than 1,300 companies worldwide and cited by the global media approximately 350 times per day.
From 1981 to 1998, Mr. Fulgoni was President and CEO of Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading global supplier of retail scanner data to the CPG industry, where he grew the company’s revenues at an annual rate of 40% to more than $500 million annually and its market value to $1.5 Billion. In 1996, IRI was recognized by Advertising Age magazine as the largest U.S. market research firm.
In 1991 and again in 2004, Mr. Fulgoni was named Illinois Entrepreneur of the Year, the only person to have twice received that honor. In 1992, Mr. Fulgoni received the Wall Street Transcript Award for outstanding contributions as CEO in enhancing the overall value of IRI to the benefit of its shareholders. In 2008, Mr. Fulgoni was inducted into the Chicago Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Leonard Lavin, founder of Alberto Culver and Gordon Segal, founder of Crate & Barrel. Also in 2008, Mr. Fulgoni was named Ernst & Young® Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2009, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) presented Mr. Fulgoni with its Great Minds Member Recognition Award for having made significant contributions to the success of the ARF and the industry.
Mr. Fulgoni has long been involved in the growth of hugely successful public companies. From 1991 until 1999, he served as a member of the board of Platinum Technology, Inc., during which time the company grew from $80 million to more than $1 billion in annual revenues and established itself as a global leader in the software services industry. In 1999, Platinum Technology was acquired by Computer Associates in an all-cash transaction valued at $4.0 billion — at the time the largest-ever acquisition in the software industry. Mr. Fulgoni also served on the board of U.S. Robotics prior to its acquisition in 1997 by 3 Com in a transaction valued at $8 billion. More recently, Mr. Fulgoni served on the board of yesMail.com, a leading supplier of permission-based e-mail services. In March 2000, yesMail.com was acquired by CMGI for approximately $700 million.
Today, Mr. Fulgoni serves on the boards of PetMed Express (NASDAQ:PETS), the nation’s largest pet pharmacy; InXpo, the leading supplier of technology for hosting virtual events; Prophet, a brand and marketing consultancy; the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF); and he is a founding board member of the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester (NAFUM). Mr. Fulgoni is also a charter member of TiE Midwest, the world’s largest not-for-profit organization for entrepreneurs.
Mr. Fulgoni is an authoritative and popular speaker at industry events and is quoted regularly by the global media. Educated in the U.K., Mr. Fulgoni holds a B.Sc. degree (with Honors) in Physics from the University of Manchester and a M.A. in Marketing from Lancaster University. He is the co-holder of a U.S. patent governing comScore’s data collection technology.