Dave Bottoms

Dave Bottoms is a seasoned product and marketing leader with over two decades of experience in Silicon Valley, having held significant roles at major technology companies such as Upwork, Meta, Dropbox, Yahoo, Mozilla, Netscape, and Tellme Networks. He has consistently focused on driving product strategy, development, and growth, particularly in consumer technology and mobile applications. His career began by covering the internet as a journalist in the mid-90s, giving him a front-row seat to technological evolution and sparking his passion for product development. linkedin+2

At Upwork, Dave serves as GM & VP of Product for the Upwork Marketplace, leading a global team responsible for product, engineering, design, and growth. He is a strong proponent of integrating AI to enhance both client and freelancer experiences, overseeing the implementation of human-in-the-loop AI systems like 'Uma' for improved matchmaking, productivity tools, and innovative monetization strategies. He envisions a future where small teams leverage AI and freelance talent to build venture-scale businesses, coining the term 'tiny giant companies'. productschool+4

Dave's expertise spans managing large-scale product platforms for diverse user bases, as demonstrated by his leadership of the Ads Manager Platform at Meta for millions of businesses and advertisers. He possesses a deep understanding of product-led growth mechanics for SaaS solutions from his time at Dropbox and experience in content personalization and balancing 'big bets' across a portfolio of consumer media products at Yahoo. aithority+1

He is recognized for his thought leadership on the future of work, particularly how AI is reshaping freelancing, talent matching, and global workforces. He advocates for AI as a 'force-multiplier' that augments human capabilities and creates new job categories, while emphasizing the importance of trust and effective monetization in two-sided marketplaces. productschool+4

Dave holds a BA in English Literature from Denison University and has undertaken Executive Education at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He also studied English Literature abroad at King's College London. insidertrades