Chris Kocher

Chris Kocher, a 30-year veteran of Silicon Valley and multiple innovation and investment cycles, brings a wealth of strategic and hands-on operating experience to help companies build both revenue and shareholder value. He works with companies on innovating with new business models and product strategies in disruptive markets.

Chris is a founder and managing director of Grey Heron, a venture acceleration consulting firm. He has worked with investors, CEOs and executive teams to help build winners and grow long-term value. Along the way, Grey Heron has worked with more than 130 companies, built breakout category leaders, helped raise over $500 million, and supported multiple advantageous exits. Clients range from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 firms including Apple, Cisco, HP, Oracle and Visa.

Previously, Chris was a VP/GM at Symantec with complete P&L responsibility for a business unit where he doubled revenues. Earlier in his career, he spent 10 years at HP in management roles at several divisions where he helped pioneer HP's first laser printer, its initial personal computers and early independent software vendor (ISV) ecosystem and partner programs.

Much of his work has focused on helping companies with breakthrough technologies and platforms translate them into compelling value propositions to achieve rapid adoption in evolving markets including: IoT, SAAS, cloud, big data, analytics, on-line video, digital media, ecommerce and adtech. 

Chris earned his MBA from Columbia University in marketing and international business and his undergraduate degree at Princeton.