iLumen Taps Amex VP to be New CEO

Business intelligence service provider iLumen has hired former American Express vice president of digital partnerships Rob Ganjon to be its new chief executive officer, with co-founder Bob Woosley remaining on to lead the accountant division while co-founder Loren Eckart remains president and chief operating officer.

Ganjon first became aware of iLumen and Woosley in particular over four years ago when he came to pitch the product to Amex. Ganjon admits that while the company did not take on iLumen's services, he remained "very impressed" and stayed in contact with Woosley, even sharing his vision for the company which the iLumen board was also receptive to.

"When it came time for my next career move I knew I wanted it to be something more entrepreneurial and the board is full of them," said Ganjon. "We discussed some ideas and ultimately [the CEO move] was a match for all of us."

Ganjon's first order of business, he explained, is to help reposition the company's messaging from being a technology decision for accounting firms, to being more of a sales and marketing and client relationship tool.

"I look at iLumen as an underappreciated capability, there's so much value in what iLumen can do for CPAs in terms of providing best-in-class service and advice and really using it as a tool to grow their business and attract new clients," said Ganjon. "Historically iLumen was trying to sell itself as an efficiency play and a technology play and I think that's the wrong message. The true [product] evangelists see us as a sales and marketing play and a great a way to get out in front of prospects."

Ganjon noted that he expects iLumen's expanded partnership with CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business, will assist the company's efforts in getting the new messaging to the profession.  

Last week CCH released its ProSystem fx Client Intelligence product, which was made possible through an expanded partnership with iLumen. The product was designed to identify hidden opportunities for business clients by generating real-time, value-added analysis.

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