Y.C. CHAO
Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer
Y.C. Chao is a co-founder of Telenav and has extensive experience in navigation technology implementation as well as software and hardware development. His career includes a track record of success in wireless location technology, network-assisted navigation algorithm development, and the implementation of real-time embedded systems for navigation applications. Y.C. was a GPS software engineer at SnapTrack, where he worked on network-assisted GPS chipset performance, evaluation and software development. Prior to SnapTrack, Y.C. was a GPS receiver engineer for Trimble Navigation.
Y.C. holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, a Master of Science from the University of Texas Aerospace Engineering Center for Space Research, and a Bachelor of Science from National Taiwan University.
HASSAN WAHLA
Co-President, Automotive Business Unit
Hassan Wahla has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive and wireless industries. Hassan joined Telenav in 2005 and leads the automotive business unit with Co-President Sal Dhanani. Prior to joining Telenav, he managed the GPS Tracking Product Portfolio at Nextel Communications. He also developed and implemented the Consumer LBS strategy for Nextel. Hassan has held several other senior management positions including vice president of business development at Wireless Multimedia Solutions, director of business development at MicroStrategy, Inc, and senior consultant at Maritime Power Corporation.
Hassan holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, Master of Science in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech.
FIONA OW GIUFFRE
Vice President, People
Fiona Ow Giuffre joined Telenav as Vice President, People in 2017 with the responsibility for driving company growth and innovation through human resources and talent management strategy. Fiona is helping to accelerate Telenav’s transformation through talent development solutions, attracting and developing the best talent and building a culture of engagement, agility, and innovation. In her 20+ years as a talent and OD partner, Fiona has had extensive experience leading organizational transformations. Before joining Telenav, Fiona served as Vice President, People at San Jose Sharks organization and was responsible for people operations and talent management strategy. Her background and experience include leadership roles at Verisign, Netscreen Technologies, and Mitel Networks.
Fiona holds a degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University.
BRETT KOHN
Co President & GM, Ads Business Unit
Brett is our Co-President and General Manager, responsible for setting the strategic vision and product roadmap for our location-based marketing platform. Brett oversees all product, marketing, and engineering functions at Thinknear. As a mobile and location evangelist, Brett works with the IAB, MMA, and other leading marketers to develop tools, research, and industry initiatives enabling marketers to more effectively engage with mobile consumers.Prior to Thinknear, Brett developed monetization strategy for Telenav and led growth strategy efforts as a management consultant for a number of Fortune 1000 brands including United Airlines and General Mills.
Brett is based in Silicon Valley where he and his wife spend their time chasing two toddler daughters while negotiating for matching shoes.
HP Jin
Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer
HP co-founded Telenav in 1999 and has led the company to become a global leader in location-based services (LBS), automotive navigation and location-targeted mobile advertising. Telenav was the first company to launch GPS navigation services for mobile phones to the world, and today its product reaches more than 100 countries on mobile phones and within vehicles. Telenav was also the first LBS company in the USA to IPO when it began publicly trading on NASDAQ in May 2010. Telenav has subsidiaries in US, China, Europe and South America.
Prior to starting Telenav, HP served as a Senior Strategy Consultant for the McKenna Group and a Business Strategy and Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company. HP has also served as a Technical Director at LINCSS/Loral Space Communication.
HP holds a Ph.D. in Guidance, Navigation and Control (Aeronautics and Astronautics department), a Ph.D. minor in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China.
SAL DHANANI
Co-Founder and Co-President, Automotive Business Unit
Sal Dhanani is a co-founder of Telenav and brings years of experience in product marketing, product management, business strategy and operations within the telecom industry. Prior to Telenav, Sal worked with the McKenna Group, a leading strategy-consulting firm, where he developed market entry, product launch and expansion strategies for various start-ups, telecom companies and telecom infrastructure providers. Before joining the McKenna Group, Sal was responsible for product development and management at Schlumberger Ltd., Test and Transactions Group.
Sal completed coursework through Stanford University's IEEM program and holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington.
PHILIPP KANDAL
Senior Vice President, Engineering
Philipp Kandal is Senior VP, Engineering for Telenav. He oversees product development, testing and project management across Silicon Valley, Europe and China. Philipp came to Telenav with the acquisition of skobbler. Before skobbler was acquired by Telenav in 2014, he was co-founder and CTO of skobbler, a pioneering company in OpenStreetMap based navigation solutions both for consumers and automotive clients. Before co-founding skobbler, he was at Navigon and acted as a consultant for the automotive navigation division of Siemens VDO (now Continental). Philipp learned software development in his early teens and started his first business at the age of 19.
Philipp holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Cologne.
BRENT FRASER
Co-President & GM, Ads Business Unit
Brent is our Co-President and General Manager, responsible for bringing the power of Thinknear's location-based marketing platform to the world's largest brands. Brent oversees all revenue and operations functions at Thinknear. Prior to Thinknear, Brent served as VP of Global Sales at Clear Channel and Head of Sales, Americas for Nokia Location & Commerce. Brent started his career in mobile as the founding VP of Sales at IPSH! - one of the first mobile marketing firms in the U.S. (acquired by Omnicom). He then became an executive at video tech company Maven Networks (acquired by Yahoo!) and ran Global Sales at video network Metacafe (acquired by Collective Digital Studiors).
Brent is based out of Thinknear's Silicon Valley office and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, three little kids, and 100lb dog.
HP Jin
Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer
HP co-founded Telenav in 1999 and has led the company to become a global leader in location-based services (LBS), automotive navigation and location-targeted mobile advertising. Telenav was the first company to launch GPS navigation services for mobile phones to the world, and today its product reaches more than 100 countries on mobile phones and within vehicles. Telenav was also the first LBS company in the USA to IPO when it began publicly trading on NASDAQ in May 2010. Telenav has subsidiaries in US, China, Europe and South America.
Prior to starting Telenav, HP served as a Senior Strategy Consultant for the McKenna Group and a Business Strategy and Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company. HP has also served as a Technical Director at LINCSS/Loral Space Communication.
HP holds a Ph.D. in Guidance, Navigation and Control (Aeronautics and Astronautics department), a Ph.D. minor in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China.
Y.C. CHAO
Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer
Y.C. Chao is a co-founder of Telenav and has extensive experience in navigation technology implementation as well as software and hardware development. His career includes a track record of success in wireless location technology, network-assisted navigation algorithm development, and the implementation of real-time embedded systems for navigation applications. Y.C. was a GPS software engineer at SnapTrack, where he worked on network-assisted GPS chipset performance, evaluation and software development. Prior to SnapTrack, Y.C. was a GPS receiver engineer for Trimble Navigation.
Y.C. holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, a Master of Science from the University of Texas Aerospace Engineering Center for Space Research, and a Bachelor of Science from National Taiwan University.
SAL DHANANI
Co-Founder and Co-President, Automotive Business Unit
Sal Dhanani is a co-founder of Telenav and brings years of experience in product marketing, product management, business strategy and operations within the telecom industry. Prior to Telenav, Sal worked with the McKenna Group, a leading strategy-consulting firm, where he developed market entry, product launch and expansion strategies for various start-ups, telecom companies and telecom infrastructure providers. Before joining the McKenna Group, Sal was responsible for product development and management at Schlumberger Ltd., Test and Transactions Group.
Sal completed coursework through Stanford University's IEEM program and holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington.
HASSAN WAHLA
Co-President, Automotive Business Unit
Hassan Wahla has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive and wireless industries. Hassan joined Telenav in 2005 and leads the automotive business unit with Co-President Sal Dhanani. Prior to joining Telenav, he managed the GPS Tracking Product Portfolio at Nextel Communications. He also developed and implemented the Consumer LBS strategy for Nextel. Hassan has held several other senior management positions including vice president of business development at Wireless Multimedia Solutions, director of business development at MicroStrategy, Inc, and senior consultant at Maritime Power Corporation.
Hassan holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, Master of Science in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech.
PHILIPP KANDAL
Senior Vice President, Engineering
Philipp Kandal is Senior VP, Engineering for Telenav. He oversees product development, testing and project management across Silicon Valley, Europe and China. Philipp came to Telenav with the acquisition of skobbler. Before skobbler was acquired by Telenav in 2014, he was co-founder and CTO of skobbler, a pioneering company in OpenStreetMap based navigation solutions both for consumers and automotive clients. Before co-founding skobbler, he was at Navigon and acted as a consultant for the automotive navigation division of Siemens VDO (now Continental). Philipp learned software development in his early teens and started his first business at the age of 19.
Philipp holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Cologne.
FIONA OW GIUFFRE
Vice President, People
Fiona Ow Giuffre joined Telenav as Vice President, People in 2017 with the responsibility for driving company growth and innovation through human resources and talent management strategy. Fiona is helping to accelerate Telenav’s transformation through talent development solutions, attracting and developing the best talent and building a culture of engagement, agility, and innovation. In her 20+ years as a talent and OD partner, Fiona has had extensive experience leading organizational transformations. Before joining Telenav, Fiona served as Vice President, People at San Jose Sharks organization and was responsible for people operations and talent management strategy. Her background and experience include leadership roles at Verisign, Netscreen Technologies, and Mitel Networks.
Fiona holds a degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University.
BRENT FRASER
Co-President & GM, Ads Business Unit
Brent is our Co-President and General Manager, responsible for bringing the power of Thinknear's location-based marketing platform to the world's largest brands. Brent oversees all revenue and operations functions at Thinknear. Prior to Thinknear, Brent served as VP of Global Sales at Clear Channel and Head of Sales, Americas for Nokia Location & Commerce. Brent started his career in mobile as the founding VP of Sales at IPSH! - one of the first mobile marketing firms in the U.S. (acquired by Omnicom). He then became an executive at video tech company Maven Networks (acquired by Yahoo!) and ran Global Sales at video network Metacafe (acquired by Collective Digital Studiors).
Brent is based out of Thinknear's Silicon Valley office and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, three little kids, and 100lb dog.
BRETT KOHN
Co President & GM, Ads Business Unit
Brett is our Co-President and General Manager, responsible for setting the strategic vision and product roadmap for our location-based marketing platform. Brett oversees all product, marketing, and engineering functions at Thinknear. As a mobile and location evangelist, Brett works with the IAB, MMA, and other leading marketers to develop tools, research, and industry initiatives enabling marketers to more effectively engage with mobile consumers.Prior to Thinknear, Brett developed monetization strategy for Telenav and led growth strategy efforts as a management consultant for a number of Fortune 1000 brands including United Airlines and General Mills.
Brett is based in Silicon Valley where he and his wife spend their time chasing two toddler daughters while negotiating for matching shoes.