One of the founders of New York-based research firm SuperData is departing the company.
Janelle Benjamin is stepping down from her role as general manager, according to fellow co-founder Joost van Dreunen's newsletter. She helped set up the company in September 2010, serving as its chief operating officer until its acquisition in September 2018 by research giant Nielsen. At that point, she became the firm's GM.
"After working together for a decade you, my co-founder, are leaving SuperData," van Dreunen said.
"The character of an organisation, especially a startup, comes from its founders. And for SuperData that meant you. You were the one who brought the discipline and structure to this whole operation that allowed us to grow. Under your leadership SuperData thrived, as did the people that worked there. And while I may accidentally have created some of the opportunities, you were the engine behind the oversubscribed series A and, just a few months later, the Nielsen acquisition.
"The odds of all this working out were always next to nil. The brilliant daughter of immigrants, you’ve been a statistical outlier since I first met you. Sadly, we can still count on one hand the number of black female founders who raised a [funding] round, built and sold a company. And here you are. Your perspective on day-to-day business was invaluable. But I understand that now, with the integration done, Project SuperData is complete and you’ll move on to the next thing. You should be very proud."
We've reached out to Benjamin for comment
