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Firstup, the leading intelligent communication platform for the workforce, has announced the appointment of three experienced leaders: Craig Steele as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Kristin Brennan as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Nathan Lowis as Managing Director for EMEA. These hires signal a pivotal phase for Firstup, aimed at accelerating international growth and maximizing value for customers through enhanced workforce communication strategies.
Craig Steele steps into the CRO role to direct all global go-to-market functions, fostering a high-performance team that prioritizes trust, results, and an optimized customer journey. His expertise in scaling sales organizations will support Firstup's mission to help enterprises enhance efficiency, productivity, and employee engagement through intelligent communication platforms. "With Craig at the helm of our GTM organization, we're building a structure that not only drives growth but does so in a way that is sustainable and customer-centric," said Bill Schuh, CEO of Firstup. "He's a proven leader with a track record of delivering exceptional results."
Prior to Firstup, Steele served as CRO at Velocity Global and held key sales positions at Anaplan, contributing to its expansion, as well as at ServiceNow and Salesforce. This background equips him to elevate Firstup's GTM strategy, ensuring alignment with business outcomes like improved safety, quality of care, and revenue growth in employee communication solutions.
As CMO, Kristin Brennan will shape Firstup's brand and marketing initiatives, developing a robust engine that boosts engagement, pipeline generation, and bookings. Her collaborative approach will synchronize marketing with broader GTM efforts, enhancing brand equity and customer loyalty in the competitive landscape of workforce management tools. "Kristin is not only an exceptional marketer but also a collaborative executive who understands how to successfully align marketing with GTM execution to achieve results," said Schuh. "She also brings the insight and discipline required to grow our brand equity and customer affinity."
Brennan arrives from Legion Technologies, where she headed marketing, following leadership stints at Datrium, Lightstep, and Sencha—each culminating in successful acquisitions. Her track record in full-stack marketing will drive measurable impacts, supporting Firstup's global push in personalized, data-driven communication strategies.
Nathan Lowis, now Managing Director for EMEA and based in London, will spearhead regional expansion, delivering customized solutions that address workforce transformation needs. His focus on deeper customer engagement will advance outcomes in efficiency and engagement for EMEA organizations. "Customers in EMEA are at the forefront of modern workforce transformation, and Nathan's leadership ensures we meet their needs with tailored strategies and deeper engagement," said Steele.
Lowis draws from executive roles at Oracle, Anaplan, and Sparta Commodities, providing the strategic acumen to integrate Firstup's platform into diverse markets. This appointment reinforces Firstup's commitment to localized excellence within its global framework for intelligent employee communications.
These appointments collectively fortify Firstup's leadership, enabling scalable innovation and customer-centric advancements in workforce platforms. "This is more than a leadership expansion; it supports our transformation of the company," said Schuh. "Craig, Kristin, and Nathan each bring the expertise to help us scale our vision globally, serve our customers effectively and define the future of employee communication and engagement."
Firstup is the leading platform for intelligent communication that powers meaningful business outcomes. As a true "mission control" for workforce communications, Firstup is built for organizations with critically important frontline employees – delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. The platform enables hyper‑personalized, data-driven journeys across channels (email, mobile, intranet, digital signage and more), bringing alignment, clarity and engagement to every level of the organization.
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