Posted on 10/05/2023 1:33:07 PM PDT by FarCenter
Staff shake ups at two large tech companies that form the backbone of Democrats’ digital infrastructure have some practitioners worried.
On Friday, Tom Bonier revealed that he’s been named CEO of the TARA Group, with Lindsey Schuh Cortes taking over as CEO of TargetSmart, one of the left’s top data analytics firms, later this month. TARA Group is the holding corporation that counts TargetSmart as one of its seven portfolio companies along with research, fundraising and marketing firms.
“Just as was the case when I joined TargetSmart, I wasn’t looking for another opportunity, but when this role was presented to me, I couldn’t say no,” Bonier wrote in an email to staff. He noted that since he joined the firm some nine years ago, it had “quadrupled in size.”
“Since 2015, we have launched numerous industry-leading services, including analytics, polling, strategic consulting, fundraising solutions, digital audiences services and more,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, NGP VAN revealed that it’s making layoffs as part of a broader reorganization being made by umbrella company Bonterra.
The moves are distinctly different. While Bonier departs, retaining a senior advisor role, TargetSmart and its umbrella company are retaining their existing leadership and adding staff in preparation for 2024. On the other hand, the headcount moves by NGP VAN and its parent company have digital practitioners worried it could lead to some digital products stagnating going into an intensely competitive presidential cycle.
“I think people are angry,” said Josh Nelson, CEO of Civic Shout.
Nelson said he believes the cuts include 50 percent of developers working for ActionKit, an online fundraising and volunteer CRM used by progressive groups. NGP VAN didn’t respond to a request for comment from C&E on the size of the company’s layoffs.
“Core infrastructure,” Nelson said, should be “owned by people who care about the future of the progressive movement and the Democratic party.”
Private equity firm Apax Partners owns Bonterra and its portfolio companies.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/05/democrats-ngp-van-collapse-00120184
DEMOCRATS’ MAJOR CAMPAIGN TECH FIRM SHIFTS UNDER NEW PRIVATE EQUITY OWNER
The acquisition of NGP VAN gave British venture capital firm Apax some of the Democratic Party’s most critical infrastructure.
https://theintercept.com/2022/05/10/democrats-campaign-tech-ngp-van-apax/
Using software from a company managed by a Brit private equity fund should really handicap the Democrats.
However, it also risks UK meddling in US elections.
Time to shake the hornet’s nest and get some rejected employees angry at their former employer.
Wouldn’t it be a hoot if the Chinese or a Russian oligarch were behind this?
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