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San Diego, CA, USA

Mathieu S.

Experienced fractional CEO/COO and exited founder who built an AI/analytics company. Specializing in data, AI, and scaling growth-stage operations.

With over 20 years of experience in data, AI, and operational leadership, Mathieu Stark is now a Fractional CEO/COO focused on helping growth-stage companies scale. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Apple, Amazon, and T-Mobile, as well as mid-market firms navigating the transition from founder-led to professionally operated.

Prior to his fractional work, Mathieu founded Analytiks, an AI and data analytics consultancy, and served as CEO for eight years. He scaled the company from a solo practice to a 20-person team generating millions in annual revenue before successfully exiting through acquisition by PE-backed Definian in January 2025. Earlier in his career, he led analytics teams at T-Mobile supporting $2B+ in annual channel revenue across 50,000 retail locations, and managed global reporting operations at ALLDATA across North American and European markets.

Mathieu brings together hands-on technical expertise in modern data infrastructure (Snowflake, dbt, Dagster, Python) with the operational experience of someone who has actually built and sold a company. He specializes in helping companies implement the systems, processes, and leadership structures needed to scale beyond founder dependency.

He holds an MBA from Washington State University. When he's not working, you'll find him in Southern California with his Shiba Inu, probably drinking hot cocoa instead of coffee.

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Mathieu S.

Work

Plain-language answers across 700+ stores

Plain-language answers across 700+ stores

A national retailer with 700+ stores and 50,000+ SKUs had clean data in BigQuery and Looker, but category and district managers waited days on analysts for answers they could get themselves. I mapped the logic buried in stored procedures into a layer the AI could read, then built a role-based conversational layer, so category, district, and finance each get a different, relevant answer. I ran Claude and Gemini side by side and kept the better. Report wait times went from 5 days to under a minute.

HR data unified, with a GenAI layer managers use.

HR data unified, with a GenAI layer managers use.

A Fortune 500 workforce across six continents had people data split over five systems, each defining metrics differently, so a basic leadership question took days. I redesigned how those questions get answered, built one governed analytics layer on Snowflake and dbt feeding 40+ Tableau dashboards, then added a GenAI layer for plain-language answers. Reporting for each HR team rolls up to one model. Result: 50,000+ monthly users, days to instant, and an internal team that runs it today.

Experience

Feb 2026 — Present
829 Studios

829 Studios

SVP, Analytics & AI

Jan 2026 — Present
Stark Fractional Group

Stark Fractional Group

Founder/CEO

I work as a fractional CEO and COO for small to mid-market companies, mostly in tech and tech-adjacent services. I come in to build the operating side of a growing business and to help leaders put AI to work in ways that actually move the company, then stay hands-on to get it done.

  • Build the structure, processes, and systems that let a business scale without breaking, and reduce its dependence on the founder
  • Map how work actually gets done across functions like finance, operations, IT, and customer service, then redesign the parts that slow growth down
  • Help teams adopt AI in practical ways, from the tools they use day to day to the rules that keep data safe as usage spreads
  • Act as a thought partner on operations, growth, and where AI fits, and own the rollout rather than handing over a plan and walking away
Jan 2025 — Dec 2025
Definian (formerly Premier International)

Definian (formerly Premier International)

VP, Insights & AI

Post-acquisition leadership role with full P&L responsibility for the firm's fastest-growing division. Leading teams across the US and India, focused on driving revenue growth, professionalizing operations, building leadership layers, and scaling sustainably.

  • Transformed the practice from acquisition integration to a market-leading offering, delivering strong revenue growth while maintaining client retention and service quality.
  • Expanded into new industry verticals, diversifying the client base and reducing concentration risk.
  • Built a leadership team to oversee cross-country operations and establish a scalable management structure.
  • Drove operational integration during periods of organizational change, ensuring continuity, retaining key talent, and preserving culture.
  • Restructured client engagements around value delivered rather than cost-plus pricing, increasing contract value and shifting relationships to ongoing advisory partnerships.
  • Developed consultants into practice leaders and created career paths that retain top talent.
  • Applied lessons from my own acquisition experience to guide integration strategy, accelerating transitions across the combined organization.
Jan 2017 — Jan 2025
Analytiks (Acquired by Definian)

Analytiks (Acquired by Definian)

Founder/CEO

Founded and scaled Analytiks, an AI and analytics consultancy, from a solo practice into a successful acquisition. Built and operated all core functions including sales, delivery, finance, and talent. Served Fortune 500 clients across multiple industries and led the company through acquisition by Definian in 2025 with full team and client retention.

  • Built a profitable, self-funded business from zero, maintaining disciplined cost structure and strong margins.
  • Designed and executed enterprise go-to-market strategy, establishing long-term client relationships through consistent execution and measurable outcomes.
  • Built and developed the leadership team and management systems required to scale, enabling effective delegation and sustainable growth.
  • Owned pricing strategy, cash flow management, and profitability, balancing reinvestment with financial stability.
  • Led executive-level sales efforts and C-suite relationships, driving account expansion and retention.
  • Positioned the business for strategic acquisition through operational maturity, client portfolio quality, and cultural alignment. Led negotiation and transaction execution while preserving continuity for employees and clients.
Jan 2016 — Jan 2017
T-Mobile

T-Mobile

Manager, Business Analysis - Channel Strategy & Analytics

Led a team of analysts focused on channel performance across T-Mobile's national network of retail and partner locations. Ran cross-departmental projects spanning reporting, predictive modeling, and application development that supported executive decision-making. Left to found Analytiks.

  • Built predictive models that guided executive pricing and incentive decisions across the national retail channel.
  • Partnered with leaders across multiple departments to turn operational data into decisions they could act on, and set up reporting that gave regional leadership a current view of performance.
Jan 2013 — Jan 2016
ALLDATA

ALLDATA

Manager, Reporting & Analytics

Managed a reporting and analytics team across North American and European markets for an automotive data services company supporting hundreds of thousands of professional technicians worldwide. Led a team restructuring and process improvements that improved data accuracy and reporting reliability.

  • Restructured workflows and improved data integrity while cutting report turnaround sharply across multiple product lines.
  • Built executive dashboards and predictive models that informed business decisions and guided planning across global operations.
Jan 2002 — Jan 2013

Early Career

Early Career

Progressive roles in financial analysis and retail management at Luxottica, Tommy Bahama, and Fossil. Owned store-level P&Ls, led sales teams, and delivered financial analysis that supported regional decision-making. Foundation that built the operational and analytical skills carried into future leadership roles.