Mark Kaiser is an expert in deploying partnerships, M&A, innovation, and corporate venturing.  He has been involved in the acquisition of over 100 companies; designed and supported over 50 Fortune 500 corporate venture capital funds, innovation centers and incubators including Cigna Ventures ($250M), Tyson Ventures ($150M), Chick-fil-A New Ventures, AGCO Ventures and The Coca-Cola Company’s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB).  In addition to his independent consulting, Mark is a Senior Advisor to Bain and Company, advising clients on corporate venturing.

Prior to consulting, Mark was CEO of high-growth investor-backed companies ranging in size from $40 million to $1 billion including Cendian Corporation, a third-party logistics company (3PL) focused on the chemical industry; and Caredata, a pioneer in healthcare data and analytics.

Mark has led public and private corporate financing including venture, mezzanine, IPO, and secondary public offerings as a CEO.  As CEO, he has twice won the Forbes magazine Fast Tech 50 award that recognizes the fastest growing companies in the U.S.

Mark began his career as a software developer at IBM, Research Triangle Park, NC, and was a co-founder of Jobscope Corporation, an ERP software company for mid-sized manufacturing companies.

Mark holds a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics from Furman University.  He is a graduate of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business / National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directors' College.   Mark and his wife, Anne, divide their time between Liberty, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to being a trustee at Furman, Mark has served as a Trustee of the Woodruff Arts Center (Atlanta) and Chair of the Board of the Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF).

Mark is featured in the best-selling book, The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by Jim Citrin and Rick Smith, where he is featured as a Benevolent Leader—a leader that creates success for himself by creating success for others.