Josette Bonte has joined USC Marshall’s Institute for Communication Technology Management (CTM) as chief strategy officer and director of research and industry relations. One of the Centers of Excellence at the USC Marshall School of Business, CTM is a leading institute in technology, communications and media, with a unique combination of business and consumer insights. CTM offers business leaders cutting-edge multinational research, executive strategy conferences and senior leadership education.

Bonte comes to USC Marshall from Cisco, where she was executive digital media strategist for the Internet Business Solutions Group, performing large-scale strategic consulting for leading clients across industry verticals.

Bonte started her career as a film and television industry executive. She has worked in digital media over the past 17 years, focusing on telecommunications, interactive television, Internet Protocol television and online games.

“Josette Bonte is a thought leader for the future of digital,” said CTM Executive Director Lucy Hood. “Her profound understanding of technology, entertainment and C-level business strategies will be of great value to the Institute’s corporate partners, to the Marshall School of Business and to the University.”

In particular, Bonte’s experience at Cisco is directly relevant to ongoing CTM research projects such as the Digital Home Survey, "How Much Media?" and the Global Mobile Study, Hood added.

Prior to Cisco, Bonte was vice president of digital media for Cookie Jar Entertainment — producers of acclaimed children’s TV series, including Arthur, Caillou, Johnny Test and Inspector Gadget. She also served as vice president of content and IPTV for Ovum, working on IPTV content deployment strategies with service provider clients, including AT&T, Verizon and France Telecom.

Bonte joined US West (now CenturyLink) in 1994 as head of strategic marketing, entertainment and interactive services. She participated in the company’s early interactive media and video on demand trials, soon becoming the company’s liaison to the entertainment industry for content strategy.

“I am excited to contribute to CTM my 25 years of executive experience at the confluence between entertainment, telecom and technology,” Bonte said. “My strategic experience leading large-scale client research and consulting projects in technology and digital media, most recently with Cisco IBSG, will be directly relevant to overseeing and shaping our CTM research programs.”

Bonte earned an M.F.A. from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and a Ph.D. in information sciences and telecommunications from the Sorbonne.

About the USC Marshall School of Business

Consistently ranked among the nation's premier schools, USC Marshall is internationally recognized for its emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation, social responsibility and path-breaking research. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the world's leading business centers and the U.S. gateway to the Pacific Rim, Marshall offers its 5,500-plus undergraduate and graduate students a unique world view and impressive global experiential opportunities. With an alumni community spanning 90 countries, USC Marshall students join a worldwide community of thought leaders who are redefining the way business works. http://www.marshall.usc.edu