Kelly Merryman has exited YouTube after more than six years leading the video platform’s content partnerships. She has been hired by Aura, a provider of digital security solutions for consumers, as president and chief operating officer.
Merryman had served as YouTube’s VP of content partnerships since 2015, overseeing a 300-person team spanning TV, film, sports, news, gaming, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, food, learning, family and health. She also was part of the teams that launched YouTube TV, YouTube Shorts and in-video commerce.
Prior to YouTube, Merryman spent seven years at Netflix as VP of content acquisition. She also worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment as executive director of digital services and distribution, as well as consulting company Bain & Co. and private-equity firm Audax Group.
“From her time in the entertainment industry, [Merryman] brings a deep understanding of a digital-first world and is driven by the critical need to secure our online lives,” Aura founder/CEO Hari Ravichandran said in a statement.
In her new role at Aura, Merryman is tasked with leading the company’s product and go-to-market strategy. She also will oversee Aura’s marketing and sales teams. “Aura is at the forefront of the transformation from the traditionally reactive world of consumer security to the proactive world of digital well-being,” Merryman said in a statement.
Merryman is an independent board member of Roka Sports, a direct-to-consumer retailer of performance eyewear and technical gear for athletes. She also serves on the boards of not-for-profit organizations CoachArt and New Classrooms. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Founded in 2019, Aura sells digital security solutions including identity-theft protection, credit and fraud protection, and device and network protection. The Burlington, Mass.-based company says it has more than 1.7 million customers. In June, the company said it was on an annual revenue run rate of more than $220 million.
Investors in Aura include Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Warburg Pincus, Accel and General Catalyst. The company has raised $450 million to date.
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