University of San Diego Magazine 75th Anniversary 2024

TOREROS MAKING WAVES

Learning what he calls “the tricks of the trade” in the MBA program opened the door to Speed’s first job in the tech industry, at Meta. From there, he was given the opportunity to transition into his current role at Google, which carries the influence he had sought but demands a far different expertise than what he’d been honing over the years. “I had to do a complete about-face when I started at Google,” Speed said, recalling shifting job responsibilities. In his current go-to-market manager role, with product launches of several Pixel phones and the Pixel Watch under his belt, he uses insights to help create a point of view, “distilling a bunch of crazy information” into a recommendation for leadership. Once approved, he then implements the strategy alongside the telecommunica tions partner to sell the phone. What was his secret to pivoting positions so seamlessly? Unbeknownst to Speed, the Knauss School of Business

“I was able to dip my toes in different waters,” Speed said. “Getting a comprehensive view of many businesses — that allows you to be a Swiss Army knife.” At Encore Capital Group in San Diego, he led business development and strategy. Despite refining his skill set and finding increasing success, he knew he was meant to do more. “There was this glass ceiling,” Speed explained. “I’m in the room, but I don’t have a seat at the table. I wanted to be on par with those at the table.” So, Speed decided that an MBA would help him break through the limitations he felt and position him for the greater level of responsibility he was looking for. Plus, “I consider myself a lifelong learner,” he said. He chose the Knauss School of Business at USD, an institution he admired in a setting he was familiar with, having grown up in the Linda Vista neighborhood right next to campus.

Swiss Army Skillset

Chris Speed ’21 Puts His MBA Coursework to Work at Google W hen he was around 18 years old, Chris Speed By Gabrielle Horta

Valley superpower was a bit of a windy one. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in economics from California State University San Marcos, and later a Master of Science in engineering/ industrial management from National University, Speed thrived at several different companies in positions centered around process improvement, project management and business strategy.

’21 remembers thinking, “I wonder what Google does?” Today, it’s safe to say the Knauss School of Business MBA alumnus knows plenty about the tech giant. Now in his role of Pixel Go-to-Market Manager at Google, Speed has pulled back the curtain on the then-mysterious company that piqued his curiosity. But his path to reach the Silicon

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