Sara Murray, Executive Vice President & Chief Product Officer at SMART Technologies
How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve worked in technology for many years, but I first joined SMART Technologies in 2010 as part of the strategy team. During my time there, I spent six years across M&A, business operations, and services before leaving to explore other opportunities. After a 10-year break, I returned as EVP and Chief Product Officer, a “SMART boomerang,” if you will. While my path hasn’t been linear, it’s given me a broad perspective on the AV/IT industry and prepared me to drive meaningful product impact at SMART.
What is your role at your company? As Chief Product Officer, I oversee SMART’s products end-to-end, from vision through to execution. Being new to the role, I’m spending a lot of time with our products, teams, customers, and resellers to deeply understand how our solutions deliver value. My focus is on building products that customers love and that drive meaningful business growth.
What do you most like about your role in the industry? I love the products and seeing the real value they bring to our customers. Every day, I get to tackle complex problems, find solutions, and work alongside a talented, driven team. One of the most rewarding parts is seeing customers experience our products firsthand, especially in classrooms where students are actively engaging with SMART Boards or using Lumio.
You've got a technical background. Please share a bit about this and what inspired you. I’ve always been drawn to solving problems, and my engineering background taught me how to approach them with structure and clarity. I’ve also always had a strong interest in technology and its potential to make an impact.
Do you have any advice for young women entering our industry? Be curious and always ask the next question, and keep learning. Be bold, take risks, try new things, and get comfortable being uncomfortable. Every experience adds to your toolkit and shapes your perspective. I’ve learned the most by exploring different paths rather than following a straight line, and that’s been incredibly rewarding.
Please share something about yourself that would help our audience better understand you. I love to travel and experience new people and places. It really ties back to curiosity and a desire to keep learning.
And yes—I’m a “SMART boomerang,” having returned after 10 years away, ready to apply everything I’ve learned to help drive growth and innovation.
