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United States Sarah Wood is an entrepreneur and author, recognised for co-founding Unruly and for her contributions to technology and leadership.
Sarah co-founded Unruly in January 2006 alongside her partners Scott Button and Matthew Cooke and since then Unruly has grown to become a global video advertising marketplace that was acquired by News Corp in 2015. She held roles including CEO and chair.
News Corp acquired Unruly in September 2015 for £58m, with a reported further £56m dependent on meeting performance targets.
In 2018, Wood was appointed a non-executive board member for global lifestyle clothing brand Superdry.
Wood is an independent director on the board of Tech Nation, a growth platform for British tech entrepreneurs.
Wood is on the advisory board for City Ventures (University of London).
Wood is listed as a trustee for the children's charity The Anna Freud National Centre.
During 2021, Wood was appointed Non Executive Director of UK-based artificial intelligence company Signal AI.
In 2021, Wood was also appointed Non Executive Director of International investment firm Hambro Perks, an acquisition firm that provide capital and support to technology-enabled companies.
Wood is an ambassador for The Prince's Trust "Women Supporting Women" programme.
Sarah Wood, born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1973, developed an academic background studying English and American Literature at Cambridge University. After earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, she pursued a PhD in early American literature from University College London. Her early career included roles as a fundraising and development officer at The Old Vic theatre from 2002 to 2004, and as a lecturer in American Studies at the University of Sussex from 2004 to 2005. This period preceded her transition into the technology sector, driven by a desire to be actively involved in the then-emerging web revolution.
In 2006, Sarah Wood co-founded Unruly, a global video advertising marketplace, with Scott Button and Matt Cooke. The company’s focus was on helping brands and agencies understand how to create and distribute viral video advertising content. Unruly secured its first major campaign, an analysis deal for the BBC, in December 2006. Under her leadership, Unruly developed from a startup into a significant enterprise, leading to its acquisition by News Corp in 2015 for an initial £58 million, with an additional £56 million contingent on performance targets. This acquisition marked a key milestone in her career, solidifying Unruly’s position in the ad-tech industry.
Following the acquisition, Wood continued her engagement in the tech and business communities. She was appointed a non-executive board member for Superdry plc in 2018. Her board memberships also include Tech Nation, City Ventures, and The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. She serves as an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust Women Supporting Women Programme and is an active angel investor. In 2017, she authored “Stepping Up: How to Accelerate Your Leadership Potential,” a career handbook. Her contributions were formally recognised with an OBE for services to technology and innovation and an honorary doctorate from City, University of London, after co-founding City Unrulyversity, a free pop-up university designed to inspire digital entrepreneurs.
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