Media & internet pioneers to co-direct SMU Spears Institute

[AfricanMustang]

Global media and internet pioneers Megha and Nirav Tolia to co-direct SMU’s Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Dallas couple will tap experience leading companies like Shondaland, Nextdoor to feed ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ in the Cox School of Business

DALLAS (SMU) – Proven business entrepreneurs and executives Megha Tolia and Nirav Tolia have been named co-founding directors of the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership in SMU’s Cox School of Business.

Megha Tolia is president and COO of Shondaland, the television production company founded by renowned Hollywood showrunner and storyteller Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Bridgerton and Inventing Anna. Megha began her career as a brand manager for Neutrogena, spending the last twenty years building and operating mission-driven, consumer-centric, innovative brands. Prior to Shondaland, Megha spent eight years managing several businesses for SC Johnson, including Method, Ecover, Mrs. Meyer’s and Babyganics.

Nirav Tolia is the founder and former CEO of Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) – the world’s largest local social networking service. He is currently the executive chairman of Hedosophia, a leading technology investment firm. He spent the last 24 years creating and leading early-stage, pioneering consumer Internet companies. After beginning his career as employee No. 84 at Yahoo!, he founded and served as CEO for three successive companies: Epinions, Fanbase, and Nextdoor. Under Nirav’s leadership, Nextdoor grew into the world’s largest local social network and was adopted by over 220,000 neighborhoods in 11 countries worldwide, including 90% of American neighborhoods.

https://www.smu.edu/News/Featured/Spear ... Leadership