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Dr. Mike Lee

Global Head of Renewals

About Me

Doctor of Business Administration specializing in customer success and SaaS renewal behavior. Revenue - focused global leader with a track record of building high - performing teams and delivering shareholder value through retention, expansion, and operational excellence.

Jurisdiction

Virgin Islands (US) | United States | India | United Kingdom

Experience

Seniority LevelExecutive
Years of Experience20+ years
Current StatusActive
Global Head of RenewalsAvalara
2023 - Present

As a Senior Director who reported to the Executive Vice President, I • founded and scaled Avalara's first global Renewals Management organization, growing it from a concept to a 66 - person team across the U.S., UK, and India. The renewal management team manages a book of business • exceeding $920 million and serves over 43,000 customers. Customers average three contracts per account; therefore, the renewal team was responsible for about 120,000 renewals per year. Created a Renewal Operations team focused on forecasting quarterly and monthly renewals, achieving 96% accuracy. Oversaw a $920M recurring revenue portfolio and 120 , 000+ annual renewals, establishing renewals as a strategic growth driver. Increased Net Revenue Retention (NRR) from 98% to 105% through proactive renewal engagement and transparent quoting practices. I developed a first - of - its - kind pricing rubric to provide pricing advice to account managers based on renewal and account risk, which helped to prevent risk - based revenue churn by an estimated 32%. Reduced post - sales concessions by 88%, preventing ~$28M in churn. Generated $24M in expansion opportunities and drove a 49% improvement in renewal process satisfaction.

Head of Customer Success, Renewals, and Post SalesPublicInput
2021 - 2023

Vice President reporting to CEO, overseeing a 150% expansion in • organizational headcount while delivering transformational improvements in customer retention, with Net Revenue Retention (NRR) increasing from 93% to 107% and Gross Retention Rate (GRR) improving from 88% to 94%. Built and led the entire post - sales function, including customer success management, onboarding, training, customer support, community engagement, renewals management, and professional services. Launched the firm's first Digital Customer Success & Renewals model, leveraging Pendo and Intercom to create scalable, automated touchpoints. Resulted in a 20% lift in CSAT and higher - margin digital revenue retention. Founded and chaired the Customer Advisory Board, creating a direct CEO- and Board - level feedback channel with strategic clients. Insights drove product innovation, strengthened market positioning, and improved competitive differentiation. Sponsored and led a company - wide DEI strategy, elevating employee engagement and delivering a 52 - point increase in eNPS. Established leadership accountability frameworks, embedding inclusivity as a driver of culture and performance.

Sr. Director of Customer Success, Renewals, and Global Customer StrategySpreedly
2019 - 2021

Built and scaled a global CS team spanning across LATAM, UK, and • APAC. Oversaw global customer engagement, retention frameworks, and renewal forecasting for a $62M+ ARR portfolio while positioning the organization for scale in rapidly growing international markets. Designed and implemented an enterprise - wide renewal strategy anchored in predictive health scoring, proactive success playbooks, and executive business reviews. Elevated net revenue retention from 87% to 97% in one year, establishing a foundation for long term recurring revenue growth. Instituted standardized use of NPS, CES, and CSAT as predictive • renewal signals, reducing churn from 11.9% to 4.4% and driving a 7% lift in customer retention. Delivered 24% revenue growth through upsell and expansion opportunities identified during renewal cycles. Partnered with the executive team to provide renewal and retention insights that improved revenue forecasting accuracy, directly influencing board - level strategic decisions and company valuation.

Sr. Strategic Customer Success ManagerConga
2016 - 2019

Managed $31.7M portfolio, achieving 90%+ renewal rate and 87% • adoption growth

Lead Enterprise CS AdvisorApptio
2013 - 2016

• Partnered with Fortune 500 CIOs to achieve 34% ACV growth and $6M cost savings for KPMG Uncovered $8M in overspend for Duke University Health System •

Director, Customer SuccessSignature Consulting
2010 - 2013

Manager Customer Engagement – Global Data SaaS PlatformCredit Suisse
2006 - 2010

Education

Doctorate of Business AdministrationUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
2020 - 2023

Certification

Total Certifications1

Customer Satisfaction Boost, Increased customer satisfaction score by 29% within one, Achieved over $24M in expansion opportunities through strategic initiatives., CSC 24 in 2024 Designee, 2022 Top 100 CS Strategist, 2021 Future of SaaS MVP, Churn Prevention Reduced post - sales concessions by 88%, preventing approximately $28M in revenue leakage., Managed $920M portfolio, overseeing 120 , 000+ annual renewals successfully., APPEALIE SaaS Leader Award, CSC 23 in 2023 Designee

Skills

Core skills1
Languages1

Skills

Contract Management, Customer Service, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience Strategy (CX), Operations, Net Revenue, Sales, Organizational Awareness, Customer Retention, Customer Success Management

Languages

English

Services