Ovation

As Chief Operating Officer of Ovation, Chad E. Gutstein’s primary responsibility is managing the overall P&L of Ovation's business.  In addition, he oversees Ovation's distribution strategy, arts industry relations, digital and on-demand media, business and corporate development, finance, operations, administration and human resources activities. Mr. Gutstein is also a partner in the Arcadia Investment Partners/Ovation investment vehicles and was a key architect of the acquisition and financing of Ovation in 2006.

Mr. Gutstein is a unique example of a media and entertainment executive. His more than 15 years of experience interweaves operational expertise with a core knowledge base in financial management and advisory roles. As a media executive, he has served in roles covering business strategy and development, distribution, programming, marketing, and finance activities. As a principal investor and investment banker, Chad's experience extends to venture capital, latter-stage private equity, domestic and cross-border M&A and financial restructurings. In total he has completed transactions totaling nearly $8 billion.

Prior to joining Ovation, Mr. Gutstein was President of Entertainment Media Advisors, a consultancy firm whose mission is to provide strategy, business development and capital advisory services to companies operating in the media and entertainment industries.

Prior to founding EMA, he was Senior Vice President of BuyTV, a start-up home shopping TV network. In partnership with Buy.com, BuyTV's goal was to combine the convenience of distance shopping with the storytelling power of lifestyle television to build a powerful new sales channel for mass-market branded retailers. He developed the business plan, programming, distribution, and retailer strategy for the network.

From 1999 until 2003, Mr. Gutstein was Principal at WaterView Advisors, a $250mm private equity fund that made investments in the media, entertainment and communications industries. He was instrumental in the development, funding and launch of The Tennis Channel, and served as Interim CFO for both The Tennis Channel and Creative Planet.

Prior to WaterView, he was an Associate with Rothschild, Inc. and a Senior Financial Analyst with Alex. Brown & Sons. He began his career in the marketing and generic drug division of Forest Laboratories.

Mr. Gutstein was named to Multichannel News' 2010 40 Under 40 list and previously served as Co-Chairman of the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Genesis Group.