Jason McClelland

CMO & Category Creation Executive | AI, SaaS & Cloud Platforms (DataStax, Heroku, Adobe, Salesforce) | Scaled PLG → $450M+ ARR (Heroku) & $1B+ SaaS (Adobe) | GTM Leader in DataStax AI Pivot & IBM Acquisition

San Francisco6.9k followers

Sonatypeex-DataStax (Acquired by IBM)

ex-Shutterstock

GTM leader for transformational companies. I build categories, scale product-led and enterprise engines, and help CEOs turn technology into durable revenue and strategic outcomes.
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Today I lead marketing at DataStax, a platform for real-time enterprise AI, where I helped reposition a legacy database company into an AI platform and contributed to its 2025 acquisition by IBM. I’ve led marketing and growth for: • DataStax - AI & vector database platform acquired by IBM to deepen watsonx and enterprise GenAI data capabilities. • Adobe - Key leader in the Creative Cloud SaaS transformation, from early concept to $1B+ in revenue; principal role in pivoting Adobe Marketing Cloud to an enterprise GTM model. • Heroku (Salesforce) - Successful exit to Salesforce. Helped build one of the first large-scale PLG businesses (from ~$80M to ~$350M ARR); led category creation, enterprise GTM, and the Data Science, Sales Ops, and Inside Sales functions. • Algolia - Pivoted the company from an “ecommerce search” vendor into a broader developer-first API platform (Twilio-style); built developer marketing and layered a PLG/self-serve motion on top of the existing enterprise sales engine. • Domino Data Lab - Created the “Enterprise Data Science Platform” category and GTM playbooks; scaled the enterprise motion and launched technical marketing to attract data science leaders. • Shutterstock - Chief Customer and Marketing Officer; launched AI and strategic agency businesses generating $10M+ in first-year revenue and established partnerships with global tech brands including Meta, Google, and Microsoft. My work centers on: • Category and company transformation - repositioning businesses (Adobe, Heroku, Algolia, DataStax, Shutterstock) to new buyers, business models, and markets. • AI, data & digital platforms - making AI, data, and developer capabilities usable by business, product, and GTM leaders, not just technical teams. • Full-funnel GTM - combining PLG, self-serve digital, partner ecosystems, and enterprise sales to build repeatable, capital-efficient growth. • Strategic outcomes - from high-velocity PLG engines at Heroku and Algolia to making DataStax a core pillar of IBM’s watsonx AI portfolio. I work best with CEOs and boards at AI-native and AI-ambitious companies who want to: 1. Clarify the story 2. Align product, sales, marketing, and customer success on a focused motion 3. Turn that alignment into revenue, market position, and strategic options (fundraising, IPO, or exit)

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SONATYPEJOB
1. Chief Mktg Officer
  6M
DATASTAX (ACQUIRED BY IBM)JOB
1. Chief Mktg Officer
  2Y 3M
SHUTTERSTOCKJOB
1. Chief Mktg and Customer Su…
  1Y 1M
ALGOLIAJOB
1. CMO
  1Y
DOMINO DATA LABJOB
1. Chief Mktg Officer
  1Y 3M
SALESFORCEJOB
1. CMO of Heroku: Mktg
  3Y 2M
ADOBEJOB
1. Head of eCommerce and Insi…
  4Y 6M
2. Strategic Product Manageme…
  4Y 3M
3. PMO, Web Services
  2Y
4. Web Technologist
  4Y 4M

Job: Sonatype — Chief Marketing Officer · 2026-04 – present · 4 mo
Job: DataStax (Acquired by IBM) — Chief Marketing Officer · 2023-09 – 2025-12 · 2y 3mo — DataStax – Real-time data for enterprise AI • Led the pivot from Cassandra database vendor to real-time AI data platform, helping underpin IBM’s acquisition to deepen watsonx and enterprise GenAI, while growing revenue from ~$220M to the mid-$250Ms. • Increased new-logo lands from low tens to 100+ per quarter, with 50%+ of new logos buying us as their AI platform; ~90% of all deals were inbound from PLG, content, events, and weekly webinars. • Recognized as a Forrester Wave Leader for Vector Databases for AI—one of only two Leaders—against much larger competitors. • Built an integrated PLG + enterprise GTM engine connecting developer adoption, AI workloads, and enterprise pipeline into a s…
Job: Shutterstock — Chief Marketing and Customer Success Officer · 2022-04 – 2023-05 · 1y 1mo — Shutterstock – Global creative platform & creative AI • Led global marketing and customer success. • Evolved the brand from a stock photo provider into an end-to-end creative platform for enterprises, agencies, and creators- connecting content, design tools, data, and custom production via offerings like Shutterstock Enterprise, Premier, and Shutterstock Studios. • Partnered with the CRO and Field team to create and launch Shutterstock Studios, a new business line that tapped our community of millions of creatives to offer agency-like services at a fraction of traditional costs—drove $10M+ in first-year revenue, including large contracts with AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Meta. • Repositione…
Job: Algolia — CMO · 2021-04 – 2022-04 · 1y — Algolia – API platform for search & discovery • Led global marketing as ARR grew ~44%, with marketing sourcing 56% of new-logo revenue, 38% of total bookings, and $12M+ ARR. • Doubled qualified leads (1.5k → 3.5k/quarter) and grew quarterly pipeline from ~$28M to ~$46.5M by shifting from lead volume to revenue-centric, full-funnel marketing. • Re-architected demand from paid ads to high-intent organic and direct (66% of sourced revenue; ~30% conversion, ~42-day cycles). • Stood up developer marketing, technical content marketing, and developer relations as new functions, giving Algolia a more credible, practitioner-led voice with developers and technical buyers.
Job: Domino Data Lab — Chief Marketing Officer · 2020-01 – 2021-04 · 1y 3mo — Domino Data Lab is the leading Enterprise Data Science Management Platform used by many of the world’s largest companies like Allstate, Bayer, Red Hat, Dell, and JP Morgan Chase. Backed by Sequoia Capital, Coatue, and other leading investors. I was brought onboard to rebuild the Marketing function, including the team, strategy, ABM/S, as well as build an Enterprise GTM. -Product Marketing: Rebuilt function. Clarified brand, positioning, and value proposition. Built product launch process- successfully driving largest launch in company history. -Demand Generation and BDR: Built function. Implemented ABM, Defined ICP and core sales plays, established Named Account process. Marketing went fro…
Job: Salesforce — CMO of Heroku: Marketing | Inside Sales | Analytics & Data Engineering | Business Operations · 2016-11 – 2020-01 · 3y 2mo — Heroku – Cloud PaaS & one of Salesforce’s fastest-growing businesses Acquired by Salesforce, I was brought in to build the leadership team, stand up the PLG-to-Enterprise motion, and scale operations. • Led Marketing, Inside Sales, and Business Operations for a $300M+ ARR business, responsible for worldwide growth, expansion, retention, analytics, and billing systems. • Built one of the first scaled PLG/freemium-to-enterprise models, with marketing directly contributing 70%+ of ARR. • Grew active users 180%+ by building onboarding, activation, and expansion programs that bridged self-serve developers to sales-led enterprise deals. • Increased web traffic 30%+ by clarifying customer segment…
Job: Adobe — Head of eCommerce and Inside Sales, Americas · 2012-03 – 2016-09 · 4y 6mo — Built eCommerce GTM strategies, teams and programs for Adobe’s Creative Cloud transformation. • Scaled business to $1B+ revenue responsibility across eCommerce and Inside Sales, selling SaaS services to SMBs, Mid-market and Consumers. My team was responsible for most of Adobe’s subscriptions sales. • Developed programs for user acquisition, analytics, testing and conversion optimization; increased site conversion 10x. • Built “voice of the customer” program to capture and quantify customer feedback, built process for connecting product management leaders directly to sales reps. • Developed programs for customer journey ownership and optimization. • Created Adobe’s SMB Inside Sales and Accou…
Job: Adobe — Strategic Product Management, E-Commerce & GTM · 2007-12 – 2012-03 · 4y 3mo — Built and led Adobe’s eCommerce Services product team. • Built Adobe’s “eCommerce as a Service” platform that enabled our Creative Cloud SaaS transformation. Served as the basis for what became Adobe's Marketing Cloud. In this role, I participated in the diligence behind the Day CMS and Omniture acquisitions. • Developed “Commerce Everywhere” strategy and drove implementation, enabling Adobe to monetize being a "top 17" most visited website. • Piloted subscription cloud model in Australia-New Zealand to prove out model and iron out wrinkles before expanding to 50+ countries worldwide in 20+ languages • Managed $20M technology investment across 120 person team. • Modernized Adobe operating m…
Job: Adobe — PMO, Web Services · 2005-03 – 2007-03 · 2y — • Helped found PMO for incoming CIO, helped establish her business planning and roadmap processes, and built systems to get better insight into project costs and timelines. • Spearheaded creation of three-year strategic Software as a Service (SaaS) roadmap to enhance Adobe’s go-to-market agility for SaaS products.
Job: Adobe — Web Technologist · 2000-11 – 2005-03 · 4y 4mo — • Architected and launched Adobe’s first ecommerce presence, serving 30+ countries inc UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, Brazil. Inc dealing with localization, in'l regulations. • Worked for CIO and CFO to develop SOX, PCI and TRUSTe compliance processes. • Persuaded Adobe executives, PR and security teams to empower 200+ Adobe employees to engage key communities through blogs.adobe.com.
School: University of California, Berkeley - Walter A. Haas School of Business — MBA, Strategy, Marketing, General Management
School: San José State University — BS, Marketing, Business Administration
School: Stanford University — Decision Analysis and Risk Management
School: University of California, Santa Cruz — Management Institute for Leadership Excellence

Skills

SalesforceRevenue GenerationCategory CreationTechnical MarketingStrategic PartnershipsDeveloper AcquisitionCommunication TrainingContent MarketingE-commerceOnline MarketingOnline Sales ManagementProduct ManagementMarketing StrategyStrategic Marketing ManagementArtificial Intelligence (AI)Marketing Campaign ManagementDigital MarketingBusiness-to-Business (B2B)SaaSManagementCross-functional Team Leadership

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Jason McClelland

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