michael@foucher.ca  |   778-350-0866   |  Victoria BC Canada
Over 20 years experience in managing and delivering quality IT solutions to complex business problems within scope, budget and tight schedules. 

Experienced in bridging innovation and creativity gaps to develop new products and features that define a true competitive advantage.



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Enthusiastic and committed senior manager with strong software product and project management, technical development and strategic planning skills. Expert in bridging the gap between Business Strategy and Technical Implementation. Working in both large enterprise environments and startups, I have lead large product and technical teams in the development and deployment of complex software and hardware solutions.  A leader that delivers measurable results by motivating and inspiring teams through clear, confident vision and tireless support.

Areas of Technical and Management Expertise

  • Product Management
  • Project Management
  • Ecommerce Expertise
  • Business Development
  • Channel Management
  • Social Commerce
  • SEO | SEM
  • Auction and Fixed Price Market Expertise
  • Coordination and supervision of teams
  • Mobile Strategy Creation
  • Technical Team Leadership
  • Business Analysis
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Strategic Alliances
  • Strong communication skills
  • Agile and Scrum Experience

Professional Experience

Digital Strategist - Consultant                                                Mar 2014 - ongoing

Assist in developing a global digital strategy for GROUP360 Worldwide clients including performing rigorous analysis to identify potential value creating opportunities, creating the business case and developing the requirements to implement the strategy.  These clients include; Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Bass Pro Shops.

My role also includes developing requirements to ensure that digital vision and recommendation translate to (and leverage) GROUP360 Worldwide assets, products and services. In addition, I have lead the client assessment portion of strategy engagements, developed cohesive conclusions and presented the key findings at the executive level. I also provide strategy development and solution development to support new business activities and existing client relationships.

Director of Product                                                                       June 2012 - Feb 2014

At Semadic, I was responsible for all aspects of product development both for the web and mobile. We launched our first brand Diggit.ca, a safe and trusted marketplace, is positioned to provide the e-commerce channel for local C2C and B2C transactions in Canada. Our proof-of-concept is DiggitVictoria.com. Our eCommerce platform complements local business by allowing local customers to see items and transact online, then fulfill their purchase the same day from the actual local store. We have made it extremely easy for local SMB's to setup on our platform and gain access to our active marketplace. Some of the key features of our marketplace are:

- multi-vendor cart functionality
- coupon functionality
- loyalty program
- additional payment alternatives
- reputation management

Director of Partner Projects                                        October 2010 - March 2012

As Director of Partner Projects, I was responsible for managing and coordinating our relationships with our large marketplace partners (eBay, PayPal, X.commerce and Yahoo! JAPAN). In addition I was responsible for on-boarding new marketplaces into the Terapeak eco-system.

For further detail, please click on the logo or client name below:

eBay

Product managed the eBay Listing Analytics tool (Terapeak was contracted to build and host the application).  The application has garnered over 1.2 million subscribers in under a year of operation.  In addition, managed the re-design and launch of the Terapeak eBay sell hub widget which is used by over 40,000 eBay sellers every day.

Yahoo! JAPAN

Successfully on-boarded and launched Terapeak’s second marketplace (Yahoo! JAPAN) into our eco-system.  This product is on track to generate over $1 million dollars in revenue in it’s first year. 

X.commerce

Worked with X.com to launch a multi-marketplace reporting module for their Magento implementation of their multi-marketplace listing tool.

Senior Project Manager                                       September 2006 - September 2010

  • Completed the successful implementation of a Self Serve Ticketing Kiosk solution at all major terminals.  This solution was developed in-house, with a client side Java swing application communicating with a central server using web services. 
  • Developed a Wireless Handheld Solution for our routes with no physical terminals.  This solution will allow our ship personnel to accept payment with all major credit cards and our own loyalty card.  This solution is utilizing a Motorola MC75 handheld running Windows Mobile.  The solution was written in .Net Compact framework. 
  • Developed a Passenger Manifest solution for our Northern fleet.  This solution includes a handheld manifest application in addition to a centralized web application.  

Director of Technology                                                      April 2002 – August 2006

  • Responsible for keeping the development team focused, on schedule, and producing a quality product; this is accomplished by removing issues and barriers from their path. 
  • In this role, a key responsibility is to act as a liaison between management, customers, testing, production support and development. 
  • Responsible for all key project management activities of project planning and budgeting, deliverables management and resourcing. 
  • Managed and executed the re-development of the Beanstream.com web site.
  • Successfully managed the implementation of authentication services for eBay Canada, eBay UK, Canada Post and more recently the Alberta Treasury Branch.  These projects involved the deployment of Equifax’s eIDVerifier service for authenticating these companies’ new customers, which will significantly reduce on-line identity fraud by enabling interactive identity verification of online customers.
  • Implemented additional authentication services for both the FutureShop.ca and BestBuy.ca websites.  For theses solution, we deployed a combination of products including QuickMatch and SafeScanID.  These projects are designed to significantly lower their on-line fraud rates.

Information Systems Manager                                                April 2001 – Dec. 2001

  • Provided overall leadership within the organization on all matters related to information systems and worked closely with internal clients to determine the most efficient applications of emerging technology to assist in their business activities.
  • Assumed full responsibility for all information technology activities, services and programs, including:
  • Managed the transition of external web hosting onto the company’s internal systems.  This included the deployment of a fully redundant web array of four IIS web servers which delivered dynamic content through Microsoft® Content Management Server.
  • Oversaw our strategic relationship with Akamai Technologies, Inc which enabled the distribution of over a million copies of our trial flagship software, ACDSee 4.0, within one month of its launch.
  • Key team member in the company’s European e-commerce provider selections.  This effort included an extensive RFI process, and onsite interviews.

Chief Technology Officer                                                              May 2000 – Feb. 2001

  • Responsible for the continued operation of all critical computer systems, including:
  • Mail delivery system, which sent over 1 million e-mails a day to over 400,000 unique subscribers.
  • Developed the strategic technology roadmap for MeMail.com’s operations. 
  • Actively participated in investment meetings with venture capital firms.
  • Managed critical relationships with technical partners.
  • Managed database marketing efforts by capturing, compiling and reporting data from daily operations and leveraging this information to increase sales efforts

Project Manager on ERP Implementation                                                 Mar. 1999 – May 2000

  • Initial Core Team member developing the key business functional requirements for a corporate sales and marketing database and order processing system. 
  • Evaluated several vendors who were invited to demonstrate the functionality of their system solutions. 
  • Solely responsible for managing and delivering all technical aspects of this $2 million dollar SAP project including the software, hardware and networking requirements.
  • Managing and directing several SAP Programmers and CMHC Database Analysts.
  • Responsible for the development of the web store (built upon the SAP R/3 platform) and for insuring the seamless connectivity to our corporate bank to enable real-time credit card verification.

IT Manager for the BC and Yukon Region                                Jan. 1998 – Feb. 1999

  • Responsible for all matters relating to information technology for all of CMHC’s offices in British Columbia and the Yukon.
  • This includes responsibility for over 180 computer desktops in 7 offices and several home offices, as well as the network services that support them.
  • Managed 8 staff.
  • Completed a massive rollout of a new computing environment for all staff.

Computer Systems Analyst                                                            July 1996 – Dec. 1997

  • This position involved working with a team to develop and maintain the CMHC corporate web site. 
  • Lead the e-commerce initiative for the National Web Site.  This project involved developing a strategy to market and sell all of CMHC's products and services on-line as well as producing a cost benefit analysis as to its viability.  Project now encompassed by current OPIMS project.
  • Scheduled as one of the main speakers at the Fall 1997 Vancouver Housing Outlook Conference.  Over 400 participants attended this highly popular conference.  My presentation explored how electronic commerce and the Internet will change the way we access housing market information and how we can take full advantage of it.
PHONE: 778-350-0866 • E-MAIL: michael@foucher.ca