# Trevor Kaufman

> Trevor Kaufman is the CEO of KNIME and the former CEO of Piano. An early Tinypass investor who became its CEO in 2012, he led the combined Piano business from its 2015 merger until January 2026. Earlier, he founded digital agency Schematic, sold it to WPP in 2007 and led Possible Worldwide. His work spans early web production, interactive design, publishing subscriptions, analytics and enterprise AI.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at KNIME
- **Organizations:** KNIME, Piano, Tinypass, Possible Worldwide, WPP, Schematic, Kaufman Patricof Enterprises, The Voyager Company, The New York Times
- **Education:** BA, English and Economics, University of Virginia, Collegiate School
- **Known for:** Founded Schematic and sold it to WPP in 2007., Led Possible Worldwide following its creation in 2011., Led the combined Piano business following the 2015 Tinypass-Piano Media merger.

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Worked in advertising sales for The New York Times Small Inns and Lodges section; later worked at Voyager.
- **1990s** — Co-founded Kaufman Patricof Enterprises; early web projects included Paul McCartney, CBS and the 1996 presidential campaign.
- **1999** — Founded Schematic in Los Angeles.
- **2007** — Sold Schematic to WPP; WPP announced the deal on September 10.
- **2011** — Became global CEO of Possible Worldwide, formed from four WPP agencies.
- **2012** — Early Tinypass investor who joined as CEO; public appointment announced January 17, 2013.
- **2015** — Named CEO of the combined Piano after the August 11 Tinypass-Piano Media merger.
- **2026** — Left Piano and became KNIME CEO; KNIME announcement published January 16.

## Achievements

- Founded Schematic and sold it to WPP in 2007.
- Led Possible Worldwide following its creation in 2011.
- Led the combined Piano business following the 2015 Tinypass-Piano Media merger.
- KNIME’s January 2026 announcement credited him with building Piano to 570 staff in fourteen countries.
- Named Martech Hero in The Drum’s 2020 B2B Awards.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Discussed enterprise AI adoption, collaboration, repeatable workflows and organizational culture in an AI TechPark interview published June 9.
- **2026-04** — Piano named former COO Nick Worth CEO on April 27, following Kaufman’s departure.
- **2026-01** — Appointed CEO of KNIME, succeeding founder Michael Berthold; announcement dated January 16.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorlkaufman
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/TrevorNY

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/trevor-kaufman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23