Belkin International CMO Kieran Hannon joins Openpath as chief marketer
Silicon Beach startup Openpath is riding a wave of growth and shifting to keep that momentum going. The manufacturer of intelligent access control systems (think Ring for business) has appointed Kieran Hannon as its chief marketing officer, expanded its Los Angeles headquarters, and is opening a second office in Indianapolis.
Kieran Hannon joins Openpath as its chief marketer
Hannon, an award-winning marketer and a member of The Drum’s US Editorial Advisory Board, joins Openpath from Belkin International, where he served as chief marketing officer. Openpath co-founder and president James Segil says appointing Hannon demonstrates the company’s dedication to continued growth in the smart office industry.
Hannon will oversee all the company’s marketing, with the goal of helping to drive growth by creating an emotional connection with customers and users, including building owners, building managers and employees. Additionally, he’ll be an integral part of the executive team, which currently comprises Openpath’s five co-founders. “They’re an amazing team who recognize the value of creating a magnet brand,” Hannon told The Drum. “The company is a disruptor in an industry operating the same way for decades. We’re putting customers at the center of our business.”
While at Belkin International, Hannon managed every aspect of the marketing organization globally, including e-commerce, for all four of the company’s brands: Belkin, Linksys, Wemo and Phyn. Prior to joining Belkin, Hannon served as vice-president of marketing for UBM/Canon, vice-president of marketing for RadioShack Corporation and president of Grey Worldwide in San Francisco.
The common thread for Hannon through all of these roles was the opportunity to drive growth. “One reason I’m excited about joining Openpath is the ability to help grow another company,” Hannon told The Drum. “It’s what I enjoy doing — helping cement a foundation that will be everlasting. I also want to be in a place where I’m going to make a difference in every facet of the business, not just marketing, and I can do that here as part of the executive team.”
Hannon pointed out that he was drawn to Openpath’s commitment to disrupting the industry with smart, convenient workplace security and providing customers with a best-in-class user experience. “We want to build the next LA unicorn,” Hannon added.
Segil said that Kieran’s “ability to highlight key aspects of a brand's identity, such as Openpath’s superior user experience, will secure [the company’s] place as the first access control solution people ask for by name. We are improving the workday experience for people and establishing an emotional connection with our brand. Kieran understands this better than anyone and can tap into the sentiment to cement our place as a thought leader in this market.”
Hannon is joining Openpath during a time of rapid growth. Its team has increased by 125% over the past year and the company relocated to a new Culver City headquarters more than double the size of its previous space. Openpath — which counts Kustomer, Leaf Group (eg, Saatchi Art), and MeUndies among its clients — recently won Domino’s as a new customer. The pizza company’s franchise store owners and employees are using the solution to provide more secure and convenient access to their shops.
Openpath also recently announced a $20m Series B and expanded its core product line with its Mullion Smart Reader and Elevator Board.