Nicholas Valese

Trailblazer
DISC Type : DI

VP IT Infrastructure and Operations at Ashley Furniture Industries

Scarborough, Maine, United States

Overview

Nicholas is a CIO-level technology executive with experience at major brands like Ashley Furniture Industries, LOréal, and Equinox. He specializes in transforming IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and operations to drive AI-first initiatives and business growth. A graduate of Rutgers University, he also holds CISA and CRISC certifications.

Outside of his executive roles, Nicholas identifies as a "#GirlDad, " indicating that his family is a core part of his life. He maintains an interest in the work of major technology companies like Google and Symantec.

He once built his own AI-driven job search engine that automatically sources and filters roles for him while he sleeps.

Personality Overview

Friendly But Fast

Assertive

Achievement-Oriented

They are more likely to be open to unproven but exciting technologies.  They respond better to a combination of speed and relationship. They do not mind taking risks and can make hard decisions, if necessary.

Topics They Care About

AI-First Companies
His current role involves building the foundation to make Ashley Furniture an "AI-First company, " and he frequently discusses organizational readiness for AI.
IT Modernization
He focuses on transforming legacy systems into scalable, cloud-optimized platforms to accelerate speed-to-market and reduce operational overhead.
AI in Cybersecurity
He is focused on how AI can transform security strategies, particularly in improving vulnerability management to better prioritize threats.

Media Appearances

Nicholas has no verified media appearances

Work History

11-2025
VP IT Infrastructure and Operations at Ashley Furniture Industries
11-2024 - 8-2025
Program Executive, Digital, O+O Division at L'Oréal
4-2023 - 11-2024
Head of Innovation - Omnichannel Technology at L'Oréal
9-2020 - 3-2023
Head of Run, Omnichannel Technology at L'Oréal
10-2019 - 4-2020
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Technology, Data, and Security/Compliance at Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Education

B.S. from Rutgers University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 9 Location : Scarborough, Maine, United States Job Level : Senior Designation : VP IT Infrastructure and Operations at Ashley Furniture Industries
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Insights For Selling To Nicholas

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Ask them for a lunch or coffee once some rapport has been established
  • Help them visualize the impact of their decision
  • Use phrases like ‘your decision will’, ‘you will impact’ etc.

DONT's

  • Don’t hesitate from asking questions or pushing them, but take a friendly approach
  • Don't make any commitments that you might not be able to fulfill
  • Don’t hesitate from asking them how they truly feel about your product

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Nicholas is

  • Relationship and product conviction matter equally, followed by a sense of achievement.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Nicholas

  • If they are not convinced, they will say no albeit in a friendly manner.


Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Nicholas move?

  • If you earn their trust and they develop faith in the product, they can make decisions quickly.
  • Can Nicholas take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks if necessary.

You And Nicholas

Personality Compatibility


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