Justin Purnell

Summary

Media and product leader specializing in off-platform audience growth, social-first video, and analytics-driven editorial strategy for news and entertainment. Led YouTube and younger-audience strategy at NBC News Group; ran content strategy & operations for NBCU’s Seeso. Expert at building platform-native franchises, packaging (titles, thumbnails, metadata/SEO), KPI frameworks, and cross-functional collaboration across editorial, product, analytics, and revenue.

Experience

Comcast NBCUniversal

YouTube & Younger Audiences Strategy

Director, Business Development

2014 - 2015

  • Developed and executed strategies for MSNBC and News Group’s YouTube and younger audiences, aligning packaging, cadence, and KPIs with editorial priorities.

  • Established OKRs and measurable success criteria for social growth, collaborating with editorial, insights, and marketing.

  • Built repeatable frameworks for titles, thumbnails, and metadata to improve discovery and watch-time.

SVOD Content Strategy & Off-Platform Distribution

Director, Content Strategy & Operations

2015 - 2017

  • Led content strategy, programming, and user experience; designed taxonomy and metadata to power discovery and analytics.

  • Launched and managed third-party distribution partnerships (including Amazon Channels) to expand reach and monetization.

  • Built analytics platform leveraged by NBCU and third parties; drove retention efforts lifting LTV by 40% through testing and packaging.

  • Rapidly built a Swift app to support a strategic shift in distribution, increasing subscribers by 33%.

New Business & Partnerships

Interim Vice President, Strategy & Business Development

2017 - 2017

  • Presented industry analyses and partnership opportunities to CFO/CEO; identified new digital business lines with clear OKRs and KPIs.

  • Acted as cross-functional liaison across editorial, product, audience, and monetization teams.

Digital Marketing Analytics & Attribution

Director, Digital Marketing Analytics and Strategy

2014 - 2014

  • Led procurement of a digital attribution vendor and negotiated MSA with Google; introduced enterprise KPIs across channels.

  • Integrated new metrics into bidding and buying processes; co-led strategic reorganization for a center of excellence.

Balance Agent, LLC (for NBCUniversal Content Commerce)

NBCUniversal Content Commerce

Project Manager, Product Lead

2018 - 2020

  • Assumed lead role for a $10MM marketplace, introducing agile processes and aligning senior stakeholders.

  • Architected tools that reduced partner onboarding from 4 months to 2 weeks; managed vendors and negotiations.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

UCBComedy.com & Digital Shorts

Director of New Media and Development; Performer/Producer/Writer

2007 - 2008

  • Developed and launched UCBComedy.com; produced 200+ digital shorts with platform-native packaging and distribution.

  • Created and ran long-running variety show 'School Night'; booked 600+ shows including ASSSSCAT 3000.

ON Networks

Smart Girls at the Party

Director

2008 - 2008

  • Directed first season (8 episodes) of a web series empowering pre-teens; awarded 2010 Webby Special Achievement (Amy Poehler).

  • Managed end-to-end production and social packaging for digital distribution.

Hotels at Home, Inc.

New Business Design and Launch (Bellamore)

Head of Product

2020 - 2023

  • Led full re-platform of a 70+ site stack; oversaw 14-person global team across engineering and vendors.

  • Built AI-powered tooling to improve product data; set product roadmap across regions.

Volunteer

Princeton University

President, Princeton Class of 2000

2022 -

  • Lead 1,100+ alumni; record-setting annual giving and large-scale event execution.

Projects & Publications

Reunions 2025: A Conversation with President Christopher L. Eisgruber '83

Princeton University - May 24, 2025

  • Facilitated large-scale public conversation; on-camera editorial presence and moderation.

The Little Streaming Comedy Platform That Couldn’t

Vulture - Feb 9, 2022

  • Oral history coverage of Seeso’s content strategy and operations.

Education

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Masters in Business Administration, General Management

2013

  • Lebovitz Award (Winner)

  • Julia Stell Award (Recipient)

  • Consortium Fellow

  • Entertainment & Media Club Co-Chair

Princeton University

A.B, Economics; Certificates in Finance, Political Economy

2000

  • Thesis: Venture Capital and Long-Run Performance (1971-1999)

  • Corporate Finance

  • Financial Investments

Skills

Swift | SwiftUI | YouTube Strategy & Channel Ops | Instagram Strategy | TikTok Strategy | Analytics & KPIs | SEO, Titles, Thumbnails, Hashtags | Adobe Creative Suite | Final Cut | Google Analytics | Platform & Partner Management

Social

Instagram

Mastodon

Bluesky

Threads

Facebook

Twitter