Who owns Roku? - FourWeekMBA

Roku was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood who is also the current CEO and majority shareholder.

Roku is an American manufacturer of digital media players used specifically for video streaming. The company, which was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood, posted Q4 2022 revenue of $867.1 million with around 100 million customers in the United States.

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Anthony Wood

Anthony Wood is the founder, current CEO, and majority shareholder of Roku with approximately 18 million shares across Class A and Class B common stock.

The English-born billionaire also founded the similar DVR company ReplayTV in 1997. The company enabled users to record live television programming to hard disk and then watch it later at a more convenient time.

Shortly before he founded Roku, Wood sold ReplayTV to digital audio device company SONICblue in 2001 for $120 million.

Scott Rosenberg

Scott Rosenberg was a former Roku executive who was a key part of the development of the Roku Channel – the company’s over-the-top video streaming service.

Rosenberg joined Roku in 2012 and, as VP of Advertising & Business Development, was tasked with building and scaling the company’s advertising interests. He later became SVP of Advertising and then SVP of Platform Business.

In January 2022, Rosenberg announced he would be stepping down from his role in the middle of the year to pursue other interests. Since then, he has worked as an advisor in various capacities and founded the clean energy start-up Project 257 in November 2022.

Rosenberg holds just under 300,000 Class A shares.

Stephen H. Kay

Stephen H. Kay joined Roku in 2014 in an SVP and General Counsel role where he has remained ever since. Kay manages a team primarily responsible for legal matters such as:

Corporate and commercial transactions.
Content distribution and production.
Intellectual property.
SEC reporting.
Government relations, and
Compliance and corporate governance.

Before joining Roku, Kay served in a similar role at Gemstar-TV Guide and as a managing partner at the law firm Hogan Lovells.

Steve Louden

Steve Louden is a former Roku CFO who played a key role in transforming it into a fast-growing public company. Louden announced in late 2022 that he would be leaving his position to move back to Seattle nearer to family.

A Harvard MBA graduate, Louden worked for 4 years at Expedia as its VP of Corporate Finance and then as its Treasurer. He currently sits on the boards of Silicon Valley Bank and Seattle-based fashion company Zumiez.

Louden owns around 141,000 Class A shares.

Other minority shareholders

Minority shareholders in Roku include:

Mustafa Ozgen (Named Executive Officer).
Ravi Ahuja (Director).
Jeffrey Hastings (Director).
Mai Fyfield (Director).
Laurie Simon Hodrick (Director).
Neil Hunt (Director).
Gina Luna (Director), and
Ray Rothrock (Director).

Collectively, these eight individuals own around 92,000 Class A shares in Roku.

Key takeaways:

Roku is an American manufacturer of digital media players used specifically for video streaming. The company was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood who is also the current CEO and majority shareholder.
Scott Rosenberg was a former Roku executive who was a key part of the development of the Roku Channel – the company’s over-the-top video streaming service. He is currently the second-largest individual shareholder.
Other NEOs who own significant stakes in Roku include SVP and General Counsel Stephen Kay and former company CEO Steve Louden.

Key Highlights

Founding and Leadership:
- Roku was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood, who is also the current CEO and majority shareholder.
- Anthony Wood is a billionaire and holds around 18 million shares of Class A and Class B common stock.
Business and Revenue:
- Roku is an American manufacturer of digital media players designed for video streaming.
- The company reported Q4 2022 revenue of $867.1 million.
- Roku has approximately 100 million customers in the United States.
Anthony Wood’s Background:
- Anthony Wood also founded ReplayTV, a DVR company, in 1997, which allowed users to record and watch television programming later.
- Before founding Roku, Wood sold ReplayTV to SONICblue in 2001 for $120 million.
Scott Rosenberg:
- Scott Rosenberg was a former executive at Roku.
- He played a significant role in developing the Roku Channel, the company’s over-the-top video streaming service.
- Rosenberg held various positions, including VP of Advertising & Business Development and SVP of Platform Business.
- He left Roku in 2022 to pursue other interests, including founding the clean energy start-up Project 257.
Stephen H. Kay:
- Stephen H. Kay joined Roku in 2014 as SVP and General Counsel.
- He oversees legal matters related to corporate transactions, content distribution, intellectual property, compliance, and more.
- Prior to Roku, Kay worked in similar roles at Gemstar-TV Guide and Hogan Lovells.
Steve Louden:
- Steve Louden is a former CFO of Roku.
- He played a crucial role in Roku’s growth and transition into a publicly traded company.
- Louden announced his departure in late 2022 to relocate to Seattle.
- He has held positions at Expedia and serves on the boards of Silicon Valley Bank and Zumiez.
Other Minority Shareholders:
- Other significant minority shareholders in Roku include executives and directors:
  - Mustafa Ozgen (Named Executive Officer).
  - Ravi Ahuja (Director).
  - Jeffrey Hastings (Director).
  - Mai Fyfield (Director).
  - Laurie Simon Hodrick (Director).
  - Neil Hunt (Director).
  - Gina Luna (Director).
  - Ray Rothrock (Director).
- Collectively, these individuals own around 92,000 Class A shares in Roku.
Key Takeaways:
- Roku is a prominent manufacturer of digital media players focused on video streaming.
- Anthony Wood, the founder and CEO, is a major shareholder with a significant number of shares.
- Scott Rosenberg played a crucial role in developing the Roku Channel.
- Other executives, including Stephen H. Kay and former CEO Steve Louden, also hold notable stakes in Roku.