Windy Zou Kohl
Windy Kohl is a results-driven executive with a record of innovative leadership starting, scaling, and turning around tech-oriented businesses facing unusual complexity. A transformative leader with experience in the US Asia Pacific, and European markets, Windy has led go-to-market, business model, and product innovation in the insurtech, mobile technology, and Cloud-based service industries. She is also known for building high engagement and performance across diverse teams, strengthening corporate governance, and fostering a culture of empowerment that drives businesses forward.
As Chief Executive Officer of Asurion China (2014–2022), Windy led a go-to-market transformation that lifted the business into profitability for the first time. Confronting a fragmented device distribution market in China, Windy upended the conventional business model, working with operators to sell device warranties at the point of activation (vs. the point of sale). With offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, Windy also partnered with e-commerce/payment players, mobile OEMs, and general retailers to build an ecosystem to reach customers online and in-store, growing the subscriber base by more than 10M over four years. When faced with severe COVID disruptions and geopolitical challenges, Windy developed comprehensive plans to exit the business, negotiating win/win solutions for early client contract termination, warranty transition, and employee exits, while satisfying regulatory requirements. Upon successful closure, Windy moved into an advisory role for Asurion. She served on the Hong Kong entity board.
Prior to Asurion, Windy had high-impact roles at Syniverse Technologies, a global provider of interoperability and connectivity services with a Cloud-based model, where she launched and later revived the growth of the company’s business in the Asia Pacific region, and led the Product Management and Strategy functions. Joining the company in 1997 (when it was part of GTE/Verizon), Windy launched the industry’s first inter-standard mobile roaming, partnering with carriers in the US, Germany, and Japan. She later developed the Asia Pacific market entry strategy; negotiated first-time contracts with mobile operators in China, Korea, Japan, India, Australia, and New Zealand; and built a sales organization across the region. After establishing the company as a market leader, Windy was selected for the fast-track Six Sigma Black Belt leadership program, and later served as Director, Product Management, and head of Strategy and Planning, working closely with C-suite executives to improve the company’s ability to engage investors, analysts, and clients' senior leadership.
In 2009, Windy returned to the Asia Pacific business as Senior Vice President & Managing Director, achieving enterprise-leading growth of 40% CAGR. Under her leadership, the region also became a key source of innovation, deploying new solutions including LTE/Wi-Fi roaming and real-time intelligence.
Windy earned a MA in International Communication from American University and Bachelor’s degrees in International Law and International Affairs & English from Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. She has completed executive development programs in International Leadership, Executive Coaching, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Windy is bilingual, fluent in English and Mandarin.