Terry is one of those rare leaders who brings together deep technical insight with a truly human touch. As our COO, CIO, and VP of Global Relations, he’s been at the heart of how our systems and teams have grown, leading everything from setting up secure VPNs and thoughtful cybersecurity practices to designing infrastructure that scales as we do. He has a quiet but powerful influence on how we build, including how we approach product decisions, architect software systems, and make smart choices around ML-driven tools. Terry also brings a sharp strategic lens to the table. He’s led key vendor negotiations like securing better pricing and terms in our AWS partnerships, always thinking long-term about how to balance cost, performance, and flexibility for the whole team. His ability to operate across technical, operational, and business domains is rare and deeply valuable. But what really makes Terry exceptional is how much he cares about people. He remembers the small things like a passing comment, a favorite snack, a life update and makes everyone around him feel seen and supported. He creates space for everyone to feel included, and his steady, thoughtful presence makes him the kind of person people naturally trust and want to work with. Terry doesn’t just run operations he builds culture. He makes sure we scale in a way that’s sustainable, thoughtful, and deeply human. He’s not only a brilliant leader and strategist, but a kind and generous teammate. Any organization would be lucky to have him.
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Recommendations
Signals from colleagues, partners, and operators across leadership, technical execution, and product outcomes.
- P
- A
Terry Chen is someone that I believe would be successful in anything that he does. He is someone who leads with attention, compassion, empathy and a forward-thinking mind. Working with Terry has been an absolute pleasure from the start and an enjoyable experience to date. In my time working with Terry, he has accomplished goals that provide immense value, impacting the company and individuals alike. He's worn many hats and has demonstrated technical expertise and market growth centric skills. Terry is someone who will make the time to hear your needs and help resolve those issues to the best of his abilities, while continuing to maintain a standard of excellence. In my diverse range of various work opportunities, I have come to realize that a majority of the joy that I have experienced from my career has been from the people I work with. Terry makes the workplace enjoyable!
- C
As of the time of writing this recommendation, Terry and I have worked together for exactly four years, with Terry serving as my direct manager throughout that period. My role as an audio engineer at Modulate, under Terry’s guidance, was my first full-time job, and I’m grateful to say that from our initial phone screen to today, our working relationship has only grown stronger and more rewarding. Technically, Terry has a remarkably diverse skill set. When we started working together, he was Modulate’s VP of Audio, a role where he demonstrated a keen ear for vocals and a deep understanding of how to make them sound great. As Modulate grew from an early seed-stage startup to Series A, Terry’s journey evolved naturally: he became the company’s COO, a role that fit his exceptional talent for people management and strategic negotiation, the best I’ve seen from anyone I’ve worked with. Terry is truly multifaceted. His skills cover everything from PowerShell scripting, server infrastructure, and audio engineering to corporate strategy, finance, recruiting, public speaking, and more. I could go on and on, but the one quality that sets him apart above all else is his genuine care for the people he works with. His ability to build authentic, respectful, and empowering relationships is rare in the corporate world. He embodies the leadership the world needs more of: strategic, empathetic, and deeply human. Beyond the technical and professional skills I’ve learned from him, there’s one lesson I’ll carry with me for life: "approach people with open-mindedness, yet approach impact with conviction". That balance of discernment and decisiveness is something Terry exemplifies effortlessly. I’m incredibly thankful that my first full-time manager was someone who shares my values of seeing beyond superficiality and doing what’s right when it truly matters. Thoughtful, strategic, and always empathetic. Anyone lucky enough to work with or even just interact closely with Terry will be deeply blessed.
- S
From the very first day I joined Modulate, Terry made the workplace feel like a genuinely good place to be. What I noticed immediately was how deeply Terry cares about everyone, remembering the little things you mention casually, checking in to make sure you’re doing okay, and just genuinely making you feel valued. It never feels performative with Terry; you can tell it’s real. I got the chance to collaborate with Terry on an internal project, and even in that short amount of time, I saw what great leadership looks like firsthand. Terry came with creative ideas and took the time to give credit to everyone involved. The acknowledgment I received meant a lot and really stuck with me. On top of being incredibly smart, Terry’s also an amazing speaker and presenter. They communicate clearly, keep things engaging, and always sprinkle in a little humor at just the right moment. Honestly, having Terry around made me feel more motivated and excited to show up at work each day. They create a real sense of trust and growth on the team, and any company would be lucky to have a leader as grounded and thoughtful as Terry.
- A
I highly recommend Terry to lead any endeavor or play whatever role he sets his sights upon. In my many years of experience in business, it is rare to find Terry’s blend of intellectual acumen, technical ability, intuition, drive, compassion, and humanity. If anyone can lead and stand up an organization towards achieving purposeful profit in the global market, it is Terry. I believe that he is one of the dreamers in this world who can bring people together to foster a brighter future. Terry is extraordinarily smart and multi-faceted. His insights are a marvel as is his ability to connect and engage with people authentically. Whether in one-on-one communications, on panels, or as a featured speaker on stage, he is able to draw in the audience to present his views, while also incorporating other perspectives to create a memorable, dynamic, and interactive experience. Terry is an ideal manager who trusts his team and has high expectations that align with my personal values. He is a forward-thinking visionary who provides expansive macro guidance as befitting a C-level, while truly appreciating the complex intricacies of any issue at hand. I consider him to be the cultural cornerstone of the company.
- Y
Terry’s endless curiosity and drive for improvement is a joy to witness. He doesn’t stop when he takes things from 0 to 1 but continues to relentlessly explore ways to build the best, long lasting product and company. Yet, none of this is accompanied by the expected roughness around the edges. Terry is polished, direct, pragmatic, and somehow always asks the right question to break through a stalemate.
- E
Elvis FernandesView on LinkedIn
Reported directly to Terry · 2025
What can I say about Terry? Well, let me start with how I see him during my time here at Modulate. Terry is truly one of a kind, and I really mean that. He’s incredibly kind, friendly, and always checking in to make sure people are doing okay when he gets the chance. From my very first interview until today, I’ve only had positive experiences with him. He brings such great energy to any space he’s in, and it’s always genuine, never forced. Modulate is full of amazing people, from the CEO on down, but in my view, Terry stands out at the top when it comes to caring about colleagues, being passionate about what he does, and delivering on business outcomes. As COO, CIO & VP, Global Relations, he carries his title with humility and treats everyone here with respect and kindness, no matter their role. That’s something I deeply admire and appreciate, especially at the manager level. On top of all that, Terry has been a great mentor, not just by offering guidance, but by leading by example. His openness, encouragement, and willingness to listen always stand out and make working with him feel both easy and meaningful. Terry also has a great sense of humor, which he brings to both his public speaking and casual one-on-one and team settings. It makes a difference and creates a really welcoming environment. I could go on, but I think this gives a full picture of the kind of person Terry is: thoughtful, supportive, and a joy to work with.
- O
Orkun BedirView on LinkedIn
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Tech Lead · Modulate AI
Senior to, not direct manager · 2026-03
Terry is one of the most influential leaders that I've had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from in advancing my skill set both technically and professionally. Terry has a unique ability to expertly spearhead large-scale projects through foresighted design of milestones while prioritizing interim value generation, thereby promoting the long-term strategic relevance of deliverables and maximizing impact during execution. As a leader, Terry assigns great importance to cross-team collaboration and the promotion of individual autonomy by offering valuable opportunities for striving collaborators to grow under challenging scenarios while providing them exemplary mentorship along the way. Most importantly, Terry demonstrates remarkable composure in leading multifaceted initiatives with great accuracy under pressing constraints and/or strict schedules, in turn, standing out as an admirable leader whom collaborators can confidently look up to in advancing their managerial skills. Terry has also been the leading force behind the inclusive culture shaped at Modulate which ensures company-wide ownership of obstacles and the recognition of individual achievements. The unique company culture that Terry established has always been a key driver of productivity across the team as a significant motivator for individuals to eagerly embark upon demanding tasks to generate impactful deliverables as supported by the inclusive team spirit he has set in stone. I'm truly thankful for having the opportunity to work alongside Terry and learn from his leadership aptitude, while getting to know him closely over the years!
- C
Corin Buchanan-HowlandView on LinkedIn
VP of Engineering · Modulate
Senior to, not direct manager · 2026-02
Terry is one of the most genuine, thoughtful, and kind people I've worked with. From the start of my time at Modulate, Terry always finds time to reach out, check in, share a kind word, or talk through an idea -- and that isn't just with me, it's with everyone here. Terry has shaped our culture in so many valuable ways, from designing the unique hiring process that first attracted me to the company to advocating for thoughtful and responsible policy throughout the company. He isn't just upbeat, either -- he is candid, direct, and shares his perspective clearly. Terry is one of Modulate's most trusted leaders, and I feel very lucky to be able to work with him.
