EM KUO
Product and business leader
Em Kuo (she/they) is a product and business leader passionate about building platforms that truly empower people—whether that's customers, merchants, clinicians, or cross-functional teams. She believes the best products start with care: care for the user and care for the craft, blending deep empathy with data-driven insights and a bias for action.
Em's experience spans emerging eCommerce, multi-sided marketplaces, and sustainability ventures at Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Nike, and Decathlon. She's a Northwestern Kellogg MBA graduate (MMM Program) and Duke alumnus, Point Foundation Scholar, and FC Austin Scholar.
CURRENTLY BUILDING
An LGBTQIA+ app that bridges community support with inclusive fertility tracking—combining the best of social platforms with meaningful health resources.
At Nike, Em led AI-driven customer support initiatives that increased customer satisfaction by 9% through personalized, predictive features. At Amazon Prime Now, she launched premium grocery and service experiences that drove 19% new user acquisition for the Whole Foods Market online grocery delivery integration. At Decathlon, she led marketplace platform development, managing multi-stakeholder ecosystems while scaling across European markets and drove over €2B in GMV across new product domains like Marketplace, Franchise, and Circularity.
Em bridges digital and retail ecosystems, partnering across teams—from high-growth startups to global enterprises—to uncover customer pain points and build product and go-to-market strategies that drive measurable business outcomes. Her work often focuses on AI-enhanced customer experiences (while maintaining the human touch), platform development, and launching in greenfield verticals with complex regulatory requirements. Through these experiences, she's learned how to translate complexity into clarity and turn operational challenges like cross-border compliance and GDPR (consumer privacy) into solutions that scale, build trust, and generate impact.
Em's global experiences has enriched her with a deep appreciation for designing for multi-lingual, diverse users in inclusive ways. Outside of work, she's a fermentation and personal finance enthusiast and 5K runner — always experimenting, always learning, and always looking for ways to grow.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Reach out if you'd like to collaborate:
• Product or Strategy & Operations Leadership roles at high-growth stages
• Speaking Opportunities
• Advisory roles for AI, healthtech, and LGBTQIA+ startups
• Podcasts / Panels / Interviews
EXTENDED BIO
Professional Background: Em has led cross-functional product teams at Amazon, Nike, and Decathlon, specializing in marketplace platforms, growth optimization, and AI-driven customer experiences. At Decathlon, she led product for their marketplace platform, managing multi-stakeholder ecosystems while scaling across European, Middle Eastern, and African markets, alongside strategic work in Circularity and Franchise operations. She's driven over €2B in GMV across new product domains and has deep experience in platform economics, multi-sided marketplace dynamics, and building systems that require precision and trust in regulated environments.
Education & Recognition: Alumnus of Northwestern Kellogg MBA + MS (MMM Program) and Duke University, Point Foundation Scholar, FC Austin Scholar (Kellogg), admitted to Stanford GSB and Wharton MBA programs.
Current Focus: Building inclusive technology products, with particular expertise in marketplace platforms, sustainable commerce, and multi-stakeholder ecosystem growth. Passionate about products that empower user choice while driving positive environmental and social impact like healthcare accessibility. Available for product and S&O leadership roles, speaking engagements, and advisory positions.
Personal: Enjoys fermentation experiments, cycling, photography, and running 5ks (and the occasional 10k). Em is a personal finance/fintech power user (Monarch is their favorite finance app!).
CONTACT
Drop me a line: