christine issaq

With 13 years of digital advertising experience and 4 years leading sales teams across retail, ecommerce, and affiliate channels, I am a seasoned professional adept at driving revenue growth and navigating complex challenges. I have successfully managed challenging personalities and guided teams through two lay-offs, one IPO, and one acquisition, showcasing my resilience and ability to thrive in dynamic environments. My proven track record of exceeding targets, fostering collaborative relationships, and delivering exceptional results makes me a valuable asset to any sales organization.

Professional Experience

VICE PRESIDENT – COMMERCE PARTNERSHIPS ▪ BuzzFeed, Inc ▪ Los Angeles, CA ▪ 2022 – 2023 

Oversaw the partner strategy of BuzzFeed’s retail category, encompassing media, content, programmatic, social, and e-commerce sales – drove a bi-coastal team of 10, with +40MM in annual revenue, to build partnerships with nationwide retail  accounts.

• Negotiated the procurement of additional resources to expand the capabilities of the team’s senior sellers, improving the performance of the department’s highest-value client.
• Shaped the go-to-market strategy for the organization’s shopping and retail divisions, prioritizing educational opportunities to highlight new sales propositions when connecting with clients.
• Partnered with executive leadership to guide sales teams through the acquisition of Complex Networks in 2022 – developed a year-long strategy to strengthen partnerships with newly-integrated teammates and prioritize recession-resistant categories.

SENIOR DIRECTOR – COMMERCE PARTNERSHIPS ▪ BuzzFeed, Inc ▪ New York, NY ▪ 2020 – 2022

Unified a newly-integrated team of 6 during a period of internal change, creating and executing internal enablement, education, and relationship building initiatives to guide team to success within the newly-acquired retail category. Cemented the department’s sales strategy through consistent tools and structural frameworks, driving increased revenue across the full suite of BuzzFeed products.

• Drove an integrated team to sell traditional, programmatic, and affiliate content, partnering across teams to maximize clients’ return on investment – penetrated over 120 new accounts and grew revenue by 175% year over year within 8 months.
• Aligned team on larger organizational goals, evangelizing an entirely new approach to client sales – led team to become the only one organization-wide to consistently surpass set sales quotas within six months.

DIRECTOR – CLIENT PARTNERSHIPS, MID-MARKET EAST ▪ BuzzFeed, Inc ▪ New York, NY ▪ 2019 – 2020 

Revitalized the performance of the organization’s Mid-Market team, driving a team of six account executives to significantly improve regional sales. Prioritized internal development and strategic selling, aligning tactical goals with long-term agency needs.

• Hired four new account executives with specialized sales experience, expanding the team’s capabilities by more than 200%.
• Reorganized the team’s structure to prioritize renewable business and fostered a culture of positivity, inclusion, and collaboration – led team to exceed sales goals at 120% to quota for three consecutive quarters.

BRAND STRATEGY MANAGER ▪ BuzzFeed, Inc ▪ New York, NY ▪ 2015 – 2019 

Grew the quick-service restaurant category by over 120% year over year through strategic, multi-million dollar partnerships. Promoted to create and develop the organization’s pharmaceuticals category, generating over $5M in new revenue within the first 18 months. Key clients included Wendy’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, GSK, and AbbVie.

Previous Roles Include: SALES EXECUTIVE / SALES PLANNER, Viacom – Nickelodeon Kids & Family Group, 2010 – 2015 ▪ DIGITAL SALES ASSOCIATE, Relix Media Group, 2010

Bachelors in Marketing