Francesca Gargaglia

Co-founder & CEO

socialplus

Apr 2024 - Current (2 years 4 months)

Steering social.plus through its next growth chapter, with a focus on enterprise expansion, international go-to-market, and product innovation.

Co-founder & COO

socialplus

Jan 2021 - Oct 2024 (3 years 10 months)

Social+ is the leading provider of in-app social and community tools to drive app engagement, retention and revenues.

VP of Corporate Development & Strategy

Amity Solutions

Jan 2019 - Dec 2020 (2 years)

Helped scale Amity Solutions into the region’s top Platform-as-a-Service provider, delivering custom AI applications and agents to enterprise giants across Asia. Key highlights: - raised a $20M Series B in 2018 - acquired ConvoLab, a leading Thai chatbot company (2019) - signed an exclusive expansion deal with ITOCHU Corporation in Japan - structured successful high-profile JVs to enter new international markets - spun off 2 high-growth product lines into independent ventures, including Social+, where I took on a new executive role. Amity Solutions is currently preparing for IPO, expected in 1H 2026.

VP Strategy & Operations

Amity Solutions

Sep 2018 - Dec 2020 (2 years 4 months)

Helped scale Amity Solutions into the region’s top Platform-as-a-Service provider, delivering custom AI applications and agents to enterprise giants across Asia. Key highlights: - raised a $20M Series B in 2018 - acquired ConvoLab, a leading Thai chatbot company (2019) - signed an exclusive expansion deal with ITOCHU Corporation in Japan - structured successful high-profile JVs to enter new international markets - spun off 2 high-growth product lines into independent ventures, including Social+, where I took on a new executive role. Amity Solutions is currently preparing for IPO, expected in 1H 2026.

Co-founder & COO

Amity Solutions

Sep 2018 - Dec 2020 (2 years 4 months)

Key highlights: - acquired ConvoLab, a leading Thai chatbot company (2019) - signed an exclusive expansion deal with ITOCHU Corporation in Japan - structured successful high-profile JVs to enter new international markets - successfully launched and spun off a new high-growth product line into an independent venture, social.plus, where I took an executive role. Amity Solutions is currently preparing for IPO, expected in 2027.

Manager, Italian Desk Lead

PwC

Jan 2018 - Sep 2018 (9 months)

Promoted to Manager while continuing to lead PwC Africa’s Italian Desk. Oversaw a growing portfolio of high-profile clients and took on people management responsibilities, leading a team of 3.

Member Board of Directors

ItalianSA Chamber of Trade and Industries

Mar 2017 - Sep 2018 (1 year 7 months)

Elected for two consecutive years to the BoD of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in South Africa, in charge of supporting Italian companies in Sub-Sahara and promoting good business relationships and investments between Italy and South-Africa - youngest person ever to serve in the board.

Senior Consultant, Italian Desk Lead

PwC

Jan 2017 - Dec 2017 (1 year)

Tasked by PwC Africa Leadership with the set-up and management of the Italian Desk, a task-force reporting directly to the firm’s CEO Dion Shango aimed at providing end-to-end support to Italian companies wanting to operate or to expand their footprint in the Sub-Saharan region.

Legal Consultant

PwC

Jan 2016 - Dec 2016 (1 year)

Worked as Legal Consultant in the Corporate and M&A Department. Advised a number of MNCs on an array of corporate law topics and drafted legal opinions and commercial agreements (JVAs, SPAs, Transfer Agreements etc.). Designed tailored market-entry strategies to support the expansion of multiple Italian companies into emerging markets.

Consultant, United Nations Associated NGO

United Nations

Sep 2015 - Dec 2015 (4 months)

Seconded to the Foundation for International Human Rights Reporting Standards, a consultant to multinational companies and public entities in the fields of human rights and CSR . Researched on multiple human rights topics and drafted white papers, opinions and grant proposals.

Summer Associate, Corporate Law

baker mckenzie

May 2015 - Aug 2015 (4 months)

Summer Internship in the Corporate and M&A Department. Gained broad exposure to the local market and legal system by shadowing a Partner in daily activities and supporting him with meetings preparation, legal drafting and researches.

Intern, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy

Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale

Sep 2014 - Dec 2014 (4 months)

Assigned to the economic and commercial office of the Embassy of Italy in the UAE. Shadowed the Deputy Head of Mission on most of his daily meetings and supported his team in market research and other day-to-day activities.

Intern, Human Rights Program

SOS Childrens Villages International

May 2013 - Aug 2013 (4 months)

Supported with the design and the implementation of a new local and international fundraising strategy, including the launch of a new newsletter and the reorganization of all the NGO's social media profiles.

Francesca Gargaglia

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