Phunware appoints former Wall Street star Blythe Masters as board chair

Phunware Inc (NASDAQ:PHUN) said Monday that it had appointed a former banker, who was one of the most high-profile Wall Street executives to jump to the blockchain industry, as chair of the company’s board. In a statement, the company said Masters succeeded Eric Manlunas who held the post since rejoining the board in December 2019. Manlunas will remain with Phunware as a director and member of both the compensation committee and audit committee. Masters, previously ran the blockchain startup Digital Asset Holdings, a fintech company developing distributed ledger technology for wholesale financial services. Masters came to blockchain after 27 years on Wall Street. READ: Phunware launches National Ventilator Registry to track real-time utilization data Her career at JPMorgan Chase & Co led her to a number of senior positions, where she headed various global markets businesses and was CFO of the global investment bank. In 2007, JP Morgan tapped her to turn around the bank's commodities operation and build it into the biggest on Wall Street, one of the bank's boldest bets after the financial crisis. “We are living in unprecedented times as the world faces the cornovirus (COVID-19) pandemic, so we are honored and fortunate to have Blythe serve as chair for Phunware’s Board of Directors,” said Phunware CEO Alan S Knitowski. “Blythe’s proven leadership and experience will be invaluable to helping Phunware navigate the current macro and health environments as we continue to diligently manage cash and drive towards self-sufficiency through operational excellence.” Phunware said the board unanimously approved the appointment of Masters as board chair and she will continue to serve as both chair of the audit committee and member of the compensation committee. “I am pleased to assist Phunware during these challenging times, that not only creates risks, but also creates new opportunities to help our customers, which include many healthcare systems, better serve those who depend on them in these trying times,” said Masters in a statement. “Phunware’s enterprise cloud platform can deliver the digital transformation initiatives that Fortune 1000 companies must have in order to stay competitive in a mobile-first world,” she added. Educated at Cambridge University, Masters is an avid fan of show horses. Phunware, based in Austin, offers a fully integrated enterprise cloud platform for mobile that provides products, solutions, data and services for brands worldwide. The company’s Multiscreen-as-a-Service (MaaS) offerings, including engagement, management and monetization initiatives that helps brands create category-defining mobile experiences. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive