Matthew Small
Chief Business Officer
Matthew Small is Chief Business Officer and Chief Legal Officer for Blackboard. In this capacity, Matt is responsible for the operational divisions spanning all of the company’s business units, including business development, corporate development, human resources, legal and contracts. He also serves as Secretary to the Board of Directors and Blackboard’s chief compliance and risk officer.
Since joining Blackboard in 2002, Matt has led several major company transactions, including the acquisition and integration of the SA Cash division of Student Advantage, Inc. in 2003, Blackboard’s initial public offering in 2004, the acquisition and integration of WebCT, Inc. in 2006, the public convertible debt offering and acquisition and integration of Xythos Software, Inc. in 2007, the acquisition and integration of The NTI Group, Inc. in 2008, and acquisition and integration of ANGEL Learning and Terribly Clever LLC in 2009. Mr. Small has also played a significant role in Blackboard’s regulatory and policy matters.
In 2006 and in 2008, Matt was named one of Washington D.C.’s “Top 40 Lawyers Under 40” by Washingtonian Magazine and in 2008 he was named one of Inside Counsel Magazine’s top 10 MVP GC’s in the USA and one of the “Top 40 Graduates Under 40” of the University of Connecticut.
Before joining Blackboard, Matt was in private practice at the law firm of Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP where he planned, structured and negotiated a broad range of technology company transactions, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings, public offerings, joint ventures and complex licensing transactions.