Theodore Kiken
Global Product & Technology Executive with 20+ years driving AI-powered innovation, cloud-native platforms, and scalable product ecosystems for Fortune 100 and global enterprises.
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Leadership Philosophy
I'm a global product and technology executive who thrives at the intersection of AI, product strategy, and operational transformation. With 20+ years spanning Fortune 100 enterprises and high-growth startups, I bring a proven ability to scale teams, streamline operations, and deliver transformative digital solutions.
My expertise centers on applied AI/ML, cloud-native platforms, API-first architectures, and enterprise SaaS. I'm equally comfortable partnering with engineers on LLM deployments as I am aligning executive stakeholders around a product vision — because the best outcomes happen when technical depth meets strategic clarity.
I'm an AI-focused product leader with broad technical fluency across software engineering, data platforms, and ML/AI systems. I believe in human-centered design, measurable impact, and building inclusive teams where people do the best work of their careers.
Education
Certifications
Speaking & Community
Speaker at Dreamforce, Nike Pride Foundation. Member of AAAI, MLSecOps, AI For Good, PhillyForce & 3 more.
Clarity of Vision
Great outcomes start with a clear picture of where you're going. I help teams crystallize their North Star and build the roadmap to get there.
Bias for Action
Speed matters. I create environments where teams can move fast with confidence — through clear ownership, smart guardrails, and a culture that rewards initiative.
Human-Centered
Technology is built by people, for people. I'm a certified practitioner of human-centered design and invest deeply in creating conditions where teams and users thrive.
Impact Obsessed
Every initiative should connect to measurable outcomes. From $9M in savings at Standvast to eight-figure revenue impact at Nike — I bring rigor to what matters most.
Career Journey
A track record of progressive leadership across engineering, product, and operations — from IC to VP, from startup to enterprise.
Principal AI Product Consultant / Founder
Takeeda
Provides fractional Principal-level product leadership to enterprise and growth-stage clients, leading applied AI initiatives from concept through delivery. Partners with design, engineering, and executive stakeholders to shape product vision in ambiguous 0-to-1 environments.
- Implemented AI-powered chatbots, IVRs/IVAs, and virtual assistants, streamlining customer service operations
- Launched AI-driven content generation platforms for audio, video, blogs, and media distribution
- Pioneered predictive analytics and ML for order, fulfillment, and inventory management
- Delivered automation strategies resulting in avg. $1.2M annual OPEX savings per client
- Provided interim CTO, CAO, and CPO services driving innovation across technology and product development
Chief Product Officer
Standvast
Built and scaled product and integrations capabilities from zero, driving operational savings and supporting global market expansion. Led delivery of API and EDI integrations across major commerce platforms.
- Built product and integrations team from 0 to 6, driving $9M in operational savings
- Delivered API/EDI integrations across Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, and Wayfair
- Defined and launched AI-powered Order Management System (OMS) and internal tooling
- Led expansion from domestic to international shipping, broadening global market reach
- Enforced cross-platform PII compliance and standardized product operations
Lead AI Product Manager
Nike
Led global AI/ML and LLM deployments across 20+ languages at enterprise scale. Owned omnichannel AI solutions, Order Management, and drove a global CRM replatform spanning 170+ countries.
- Led global AI/ML and LLM deployments across 20+ languages with eight-figure revenue impact
- Delivered omnichannel AI — multilingual chatbots, voice automation, and agent assist tools
- Owned Order, Fulfillment & Inventory Management: 28% throughput gains, 99.9% API uptime, 30% error reduction
- Led CRM replatform across 170+ countries: 15% cost reduction, 34% agent retention improvement, 31% engagement increase
- Mentored Product Managers, interns, and cross-functional teams across the global organization
Senior Technical Product Manager
AWS (Elemental)
Led product strategy and delivery for AWS hardware and media infrastructure initiatives, contributing to significant ARR growth. Guided teams through agile transformation.
- Pioneered AWS hardware venture via Elemental framework design
- Built data cube analytics platform improving operational efficiency by 30%
- Guided agile transformation: 45% delivery acceleration, 21% on-time completion improvement
- Spearheaded full-scale integrations, strategic partnerships, and architectural modernization
Lead Technical Product Consultant
The Home Depot
Led the end-to-end launch of Pro Advantage from concept through delivery and early scale as a revenue-generating product.
- Launched and scaled Pro Advantage from concept to execution
- Designed Salesforce-based service platform with omnichannel workflows
- Defined and delivered BI capability with centralized data warehouse for real-time insights
Senior Technical Product Consultant
National Financial Partners
Led cross-functional teams to integrate acquired businesses into centralized data and CRM platforms, ensuring continuity, scalability, and operational stability.
- Directed team of 11 Data Analysts executing large-scale acquisition migrations
- Drove end-to-end platform transitions standardizing workflows across distributed orgs
- Established governance frameworks for enterprise-scale user management and system performance
Skills & Capabilities
A multidisciplinary toolkit built over a decade of leading at the intersection of technology, product, and people.
AI & Machine Learning
Experienced in guiding the design, deployment, and scaling of applied AI solutions — LLMs, RAG, NLP, and predictive analytics using modern MLOps, observability, and cloud-native tooling.
Product Strategy
Product-obsessed leader who drives strategy through customer empathy and data. From launching Pro Advantage at Home Depot to replatforming Nike's global CRM — I build products that deliver measurable value.
Operations & Programs
Operational excellence is the engine of execution. I've led agile transformations at AWS, global migrations at Nike, and built integration capabilities from scratch at Standvast — always with a focus on speed and reliability.
People & Leadership
I build inclusive, high-performing teams and have provided fractional CTO, CAO, and CPO leadership. Active speaker at Dreamforce and Nike Pride Foundation, and contributor to Out in Tech and AI For Good.
Case Studies
Concrete examples of driving measurable impact through strategic leadership, technical execution, and cross-functional collaboration.
Global CRM Replatform at Nike
Multilingual migration across 170+ countries and 20+ languages
Building Product from Zero at Standvast
Team, platform, and $9M in savings from scratch
AI-Powered Automation at Scale
Avg. $1.2M annual OPEX savings per client engagement
What Leaders Say
“I had the privilege of working closely with Theo and I can say without hesitation that he is one of the most capable professionals I have encountered. He brings clarity of thought and a strong sense of purpose to every challenge. In every project we worked together on, Theo paired deep expertise with a thoughtful, collaborative approach that elevated the whole team. He is a natural problem solver and a clear communicator. People trust him because he is reliable and consistent in his actions. He tackles complex work with confidence and humility and always leaves everyone around him better informed and inspired. Beyond his technical and strategic strengths, Theo is simply a great person to work with. He treats colleagues with respect, listens attentively, and genuinely wants to help others succeed. His character shines through in every interaction and makes him someone others want to follow. I learned a great deal from working with Theo and I would enthusiastically work with him again. Anyone would be fortunate to have him on their team.”
Joe Pfeifer
Ecommerce Director, Sommsation
“Theo is the kinda guy that's always willing to step in and help, as well as mentor others. He's able to speak with diplomacy even in high-stress situations, and track the status of multiple projects across our (admittedly insane) landscape. I can't even count how many product Theo had his hands on in his time at Nike, but I know he left an impact on the CS organization at least!”
Cam Morris
Sr Technical Product Manager, Nike
“Theodore's a solid Product Manager who I really enjoyed working with. I appreciated his positive attitude, agile mindset and hyper focus on the customer. He was super knowledgeable of the product, which helped me as a program manager. I can't say enough good things about his leadership, while being a team player.”
Jim Calko
Principal Consultant, The Gunter Group
“Theodore is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. If he didn't know how to resolve a problem, he would quickly figure it out. I was always confident that if I passed off a project to Theodore, he would complete it with the same level of quality that I would and with little to no directions, figuring out any gaps on his own accord. He is one of the few who actually is self-motivated and needs little direction.”
Jeffrey Francis
Data and Analytics Leader, Enterprise Architect
“Theodore was THE superstar at our company. There wasn't anything he didn't or couldn't handle. Everybody always has one person in their company that they know they can rely upon to get the job done, and that was Theodore. He also has a great personality and is literally and genuinely liked by everyone. If I had a company and a position for him, I would hire him in a heartbeat.”
Nicole Racanelli
Director, Dupont Circle Solutions
Let's Connect
I'm always interested in discussing AI strategy, product leadership, or new opportunities. Whether you need a fractional executive, a product transformation partner, or strategic guidance — let's talk.