Project Title:
Gridware
Inaugural Head of Communications & Marketing/Chief of Communications & Marketing
The Context
Gridware, a company specializing in security & micrometeorology, expanded its operations to the U.S. to support wildfire mitigation and grid modernization efforts. As the inaugural Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, I was tasked with building and leading the department from the ground up. This involved establishing a consistent voice across external media, internal operations, and policy channels. My responsibilities extended beyond communications to include executive development, systems design, and thought leadership strategy, all aimed at enhancing trust, alignment, and visibility across the organization.
The Challenge
Gridware faced the challenge of establishing credibility as a wildfire resilience and micrometeorology innovator in a risk-averse utility sector dominated by longstanding vendors. As media scrutiny intensified around wildfire prevention and utility accountability, the startup navigated complex regulatory landscapes, federal lobbying requirements, and rising expectations from venture capital backers and public-sector partners.
Internally, Gridware operated without a centralized communications structure, and its executive voice remained underdeveloped, led by a CEO whose prior experience as a lineman was in Australia, which limited immediate U.S. industry credibility. This hampered the company’s ability to craft narratives that effectively positioned its micrometeorology technology as essential infrastructure, addressed cybersecurity concerns, and engaged diverse stakeholders across environmental equity, insurance, government, and utility sectors.
The Approach
I partnered directly with the CEO and co-founders to define Gridware’s market identity, repositioning the company from a “Fitbit for utility poles” to an essential micrometeorology infrastructure and climate resilience partner. This included creating the strategic architecture for all public-facing communication—executive speeches, op-eds, media campaigns—and guiding senior leaders through narrative development and speaking preparation for high-profile policy briefings, investor meetings, and international press engagements.
Internally, I built Gridware’s global communications infrastructure from scratch, operationalizing standardized messaging and workflows across offices in Sydney, Tokyo, Munich, London, and the U.S. I developed a NIST-aligned cybersecurity narrative for biotech and teletherapy clients, crafted environmental equity messaging to align with DRE, DOI, and insurance funding priorities, and translated complex technical innovations into narratives that resonated with regulators, investors, utility commissions, and public safety agencies.
At the executive level, I coached senior leaders on communicating through ambiguity, aligning internal strategy with external milestones, and using communications as a proactive tool for influence, credibility, and multi-sector trust-building.
The Impact
My work increased Gridware’s media visibility by 40% and strengthened stakeholder trust by 35%, directly supporting critical funding rounds and regulatory approvals. Through executive narrative development and strategic reframing, the leadership team emerged as credible voices in climate resilience and energy innovation, earning invitations to speak at TED AI, Australian Parliament, and leading wildfire prevention conferences. Our narrative repositioning clarified the role of micrometeorology in wildfire mitigation and cybersecurity readiness, deepening traction with agencies such as the DOI, DPH, CalFire, and regional utilities.
Internally, the communications infrastructure I built accelerated executive alignment, reduced cross-functional ambiguity, and established scalable systems that supported Gridware’s global growth. Communications became a strategic lever for market credibility, operational resilience, and multi-sector influence, positioning Gridware as a trusted partner in the future of public safety and climate technology innovation.
