Rene Villaruel
Open to work27 years experienceSenior Product & Technical Program Leader
Senior Product & Technical Program Leader | Product Strategy | Commercialization | Connected Systems
Standing Rank
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Developer Badges
Skills & Technologies
16 skillsGitHub Activity Evidence
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Work Experience
Technical Sales Executive - North America
SGS North America - Connectivity and Products
- SGS global leader in test, inspection and certification to commercialize consumer products. Business development of SGS Connectivity and Product services.
- Partnerships involve original device manufacturers (ODMs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), network operators, chipset/module vendors and IoT integrators.
- Partnered with global OEMs, ODMs, and operators to develop and deliver enterprise-scale connectivity programs aligned to strategic objectives
Senior Technical Program Manager
BrainCorp - AI Robotics Retail
- Owned end-to-end delivery of AI robotics product deployments across 600+ retail locations, aligning product capabilities with customer operational needs
- Partnered with product, engineering, and customer stakeholders to define requirements, UX, and system functionality for large-scale deployment
- Translated real-world operational challenges into product enhancements, improving efficiency and adoption
- Contributed to product roadmap decisions based on deployment data and customer feedback
- Delivered solution that reduced warehouse staffing needs by 75%, directly influencing product value proposition
- Supported commercialization efforts leading to $500K+ recurring annual contract
Connect Car Architect
Vinfast US - Electric Vehicle OEM
- Led product development of connected vehicle services and in-vehicle user experience features
- Defined product requirements for voice assistant & emergency services (e911), enabling successful EV launch
- Collaborated with engineering, UX, and Business to deliver customer-facing features aligned with market expectations
- Supported go-to-market efforts through product demonstrations and stakeholder engagement at major launch events
- Successfully integration of Cerence Voice Assistant & e911 Bosch e911 services first commercial EV deployment..
- Lead Technical Engineer for Vinfast US Commerce event. Resulted in a $1.2 Billion grant for Vinfast to build a North Carolina plant, enabling EV manufacturing & new job opportunities in North America.
Technical Account Manager, Software Services Sales
Abalta Technologies
- Owned product definition and commercialization strategy for Virtual Vehicle Test Platform
- Led cross-functional teams to define product requirements, pricing, and go-to-market approach
- Successfully launched new product offering, generating $1M+ in revenue
- Gathered customer input and market insights to refine product positioning and capabilities
Regional Sales Manager, North America GNSS and Automotive
Quectel Wireless
- Increased confirmed POs from $1M to $4M+ in annual revenue.
- Managed integration of Automotive grade 4G / 5G and GNSS modules to launch and sustainment.
Technical Program Manager, Embedded System and Mobile App
Cubic Transportation Systems
- Developed IMS,orchestrating multifaceted engineering teams (international / domestic)executing program plans.
- Maintained program finance with EVM and managed 3rd party supplier engineering procurement / operations.
- Oversaw release cycles of embedded system software and mobile app updates within Agile SDLC framework, ensuring delivery of customer-facing applications.
- Worked closely with QA teams validating software quality against system requirements before customer release.
Director of Engineering
Simplifi - IOT Startup
- Managed release engineering process for IoT product software and firmware updates; ensured compliance testing and customer approval prior to launch
- Overcame RF design limitations to meet compliance and obtain regulatory approval.
- Served as key member in close of the company's largest sale to the Mexican government, SCT.
- Developed training and supported 15K site deployments across the country of Mexico.
Associate Product Realization Director
Alcatel Mobile
- Managed tech and marketing team for delivery of 19 different product configurations.
- Led weekly internal Executive Status meetings of in process projects, roadmap products and launched products.
Technical Director, North America
Huawei Device USA - Smart Phone
- Constructed and supervised North America Technical management team of 24 employees located throughout the US.
- Launched one of Huawei’s first Android devices, M860, in the United States.
- Program execution of customer roadmap, Product, Sales, and Marketing customer deployment coordination.
- Functioned as primary technical escalation customer contact to resolve gating issues for project launch.
Senior Project Engineer
Cricket Wireless
- Led OEM vendor discussions consisting of R&D, Sales, and Project team members' mitigating risks and impediments, with products completed on time or before scheduled deadlines.
- Advised Executive management of vendor's technical launch readiness and necessary resources.
Technical Account Manager (TAM)
Nokia Mobile
- Globally launched to 35+ network operators across the world.
- Functioned as Program TAM lead of Nokia’s Bravo global device launch( represented 50+% sales)
- Managed Engineering, Sales, and Marketing activities to launch product and sustain field service.
- Served as Customer TAM lead of Cricket Wireless, requirement management, and technical compliance delivery.
Sr. Systems Engineer
Qualcomm Inc / Kyocera Wireless (subscriber unit)
- Onsite technical lead working closely with Verizon engineering executing first launch of MMS and IOT cert.
- Developed global customer system requirements supporting development of product roadmap development
- Field engineering RF field verification and optimization with MNO infra engineering
- Conducted verification of Call Processing and System Determination
Projects
Projects Not Populated
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Leaderboard Standings
Leaderboard Position Pending
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Assessment Highlights
Assessments Not Completed
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AI Collaboration Score
AI Collaboration Score Pending
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Role Compatibility Profile
Role Compatibility Analysis Pending
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Achievements
Warehouse Staffing Efficiency
Delivered solution that reduced warehouse staffing needs by 75%, directly influencing product value proposition.
Commercialization Success
Supported commercialization efforts leading to $500K+ recurring annual contract.
$1.2 Billion Grant Acquisition
Resulted in a $1.2 Billion grant for Vinfast to build a North Carolina plant.
About Details
Professional Bio
Senior Product & Technical Program Leader with 15+ years of experience driving product strategy, commercialization, and cross-functional execution across automotive, AI robotics, and connected systems. Proven ability to translate customer needs into scalable product solutions.
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electrical Engineering
San Diego State University ( - Present)
Graduate Certificate in Project Management
University of California Los Angeles ( - Present)
Masters in C.S. - Artificial Intelligence (in progress - applied) in Artificial Intelligence
University of Texas, Austin, TX ( - Present)