Maxwell Wessel

Co-CEO, Degreed
San Francisco Bay Area,United States
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Who Is Maxwell Wessel?

Total Experience47 years
CompanyDegreed
CountryUnited States

Maxwell Wessel is a prominent figure in the fields of innovation, corporate strategy, and learning. He currently serves as the Chief Learning Officer at SAP, where he is responsible for leading the company's global learning and development initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous innovation and skill enhancement across SAP's vast workforce and ecosystem. Before joining SAP, Wessel was a General Partner at NextGen Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm. He also has a strong academic background, having served as a professor and Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at an academic institution, deeply involved with the theories of disruptive innovation, notably influenced by his work with the late Clayton Christensen. Wessel is a co-founder of several companies and is recognized for his insights into how large organizations can effectively innovate and adapt to changing market dynamics. He is a co-author of the influential book 'The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty' with Clayton M. Christensen and Efosa Ojomo.

How Did Maxwell Wessel's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

Maxwell Wessel's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Degreed - Co-CEO(2024 to Present)
ActivTrak - Board Member(2022 to Present)
MasterClass - Advisory Board(2024 to Present)
NextGen Venture Partners - Venture Partner(2013 to Present)
SAP - Executive Vice President, SAP Learning(2020 to 2024)
Stanford University Graduate School of Business - Faculty(2015 to 2023)
Harvard Business School - Senior Fellow(2011 to 2013)
nuevoStage - Founder & CEO(2009 to 2012)
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) - Senior Associate(2007 to 2009)

What Are Maxwell Wessel's Key Achievements?

Chief Learning Officer at SAP

Leads global learning and development strategies, driving skill transformation and innovation culture for SAP's employees, partners, and customers.

Co-author of 'The Prosperity Paradox'

Co-authored the critically acclaimed book with Clayton M. Christensen and Efosa Ojomo, exploring how market-creating innovations can lead to sustainable prosperity in developing nations.

General Partner at NextGen Venture Partners

Invested in and mentored early-stage technology companies, contributing to the growth of the startup ecosystem.

Thought Leader in Disruptive Innovation

Recognized for his expertise and contributions to the field of disruptive innovation, building upon and extending the work of Clayton Christensen through teaching, writing, and practical application.

Contributor to Harvard Business Review

Authored and co-authored numerous influential articles on innovation, strategy, and business model disruption for Harvard Business Review and other leading publications.

Co-founder of Multiple Ventures

Demonstrated entrepreneurial success by co-founding and leading several ventures prior to his roles in academia and corporate leadership, including an early venture in sustainable products.

What's Maxwell Wessel's Educational Background?

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Harvard Business School

BA, Economics, Philosophy

Northwestern University

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Degreed
Total employees750
HeadquartersPleasanton
Founded2012

Degreed is an enterprise learning experience platform that helps individuals and organizations build skills for the future. It connects all learning resources—courses, videos, articles, books, podcasts, and subject matter experts—into a unified experience, enabling users to discover, track, and validate their skills. For businesses, Degreed provides insights into the skills of their workforce, helping them to upskill and reskill employees to meet strategic objectives.

Degreed Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
$35M - Most recent funding amount
8 - Number of funding rounds
13 Apr, 2022 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Owl Ventures
Jump Capital
Signal Peak Ventures
GSV Ventures
AllianceBernstein
Sapphire Ventures
Algorithm Ventures
Learn Capital

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