Gary Swart

Gary Swart is the former CEO of oDesk, which under his leadership grew to be the world's largest online workplace, boasting over eight million freelancers and one million clients. His tenure at oDesk culminated in a successful merger with Elance in April 2014, further solidifying the platform's position in the industry. Swart is recognized as a thought leader in entrepreneurship, the future of work, and the dynamics of online workplaces. He is passionate about fostering small business growth, drawing from his robust experience with startups and small businesses that engage with platforms like oDesk, as well as his mentorship of entrepreneurs and business school students.

Swart has spoken at prominent events such as the Inc. Leadership Conference, The Economist’s Ideas Economy panel, and South by Southwest. His involvement extends to having participated in TechCrunch 50, TiECon, GigaOM’s Net:Work Conference in 2010 and 2011, and delivering insights at Harvard Business School, which teaches a case study on oDesk. Swart’s insights and commentary have been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, and The Washington Post, and he has appeared on several TV and radio shows, including BBC, National Public Radio, and Fox Business's program “After the Bell.”

In addition to his significant contributions at oDesk, Swart has held pivotal roles in technology and sales at prestigious organizations. He led SMB Sales for the Americas at IBM’s Rational Software Product Group and served as VP of Worldwide Sales at Intellibank, where he was responsible for leading the sales organization. In 2014, he transitioned into venture capitalism, joining Polaris Partners as a Venture Partner, where he now leads the Silicon Valley technology practice, mentoring business leaders at innovative companies aiming to revolutionize modern living and working environments.

Gary holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Maryland and continues to share his expertise on scaling companies, leadership, and the evolving nature of work through his role as a LinkedIn Influencer and speaker at various global events.