A Conversation with Chad Dunavant, Cablefax Top 100 Power Player

Chad Dunavant, EVP & chief strategy and product officer for CSG, is a 2025 Cablefax Magazine Top 100 Power Player. Chad’s 25 years of experience shaping the future of telecoms as an industry leader is reflected in this prestigious honor.

We sat down with Chad to reflect on his career journey, discuss his Cablefax 100 win and learn what’s next for CSG.

Congratulations on being named a 2025 Top 100 Power Player by Cablefax Magazine! The award recognizes you as a trailblazer whose leadership and dedication has propelled the media, cable and broadband industry forward. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career this far?

If I had to boil it down, I’d say the most valuable lesson my career has given me is context. I’ve grown up in the cable, media and technology industry and have had the privilege of seeing our customers evolve, grow and make tough decisions firsthand. I’ve also been able to see the decision-making process of leading telcos abroad and bring that insight back to the power players in the U.S.

That history and perspective has grounded me in the context I need to understand what’s next, so that today I can set CSG’s product direction, lead our M&A strategy and set the company – and our customers – up for future success. We know who we are and where we’re going.

Part of that contextualization exercise is understanding that there will always be some swings and misses. The most successful companies continue to make big bets, knowing that not every idea will stick, and stay resilient to change.

Describe your leadership philosophy in a word. How has it contributed to your success?

It’s more than one word, but my leadership philosophy is to listen to all levels. The best ideas often come from the ground floor, not the corner office. In leadership, it’s easy to get caught in the theories and formulas. But the best way to truly improve a technology or product strategy and meet market needs is to actively chase down input from those who use it every day.

I should know – having started at CSG at the entry level and rising through a number of roles at the company, I know firsthand that ideas come from all places. By keeping my door open, listening to everyone and trying to give as much time to every part of the organization, I can do more to make sure our products and strategy resonate with the market. It speaks to one of CSG’s core principles – the power of all.

Yes, you’ve been at CSG for more than 25 years! In that time, you’ve played an instrumental role in many of CSG’s biggest successes. What are your top three proudest moments in your tenure at CSG so far? 

First, I’ve been blown away by our resilience. CSG has been able to achieve a level of customer retention and longevity that has become a lost art. We’ve been in this market for more than 42 years and have continued to maintain ironclad customer relationships for just as long. That speaks to our credibility, reliability and ability to serve customers with innovation and results. I’m proud that we continue to deliver and to get it right with products that evolve to our customers’ needs.

Second, I think back proudly to when Comcast and Charter Communications chose CSG’s platforms to consolidate their businesses. As industry leaders, Charter and Comcast have an abundance of choices when it comes to technology vendors, so their choosing CSG spoke volumes to the strength of our product, our people-first culture, and our commitment to service delivery.

Third, an unforgettable moment for me was when CSG became a global company in 2010. That was a key inflection point for CSG – and for me personally. We were no longer “just” a provider for the North American market; we now served the industry from a global lens. That shift allowed us to bring a new value perspective to our North American customers as well, who were beginning to make their move into a new mobile future and start their own transformation. Again: context was critical here. As a global company, we could bring firsthand insights and perspective from wireless customers internationally to help our domestic customers succeed in a new market. 

You are known at CSG for having a finger on the pulse of the industry and being able to anticipate the Next Big Thing. Has anything happened in the industry in the past year that has completely taken you by surprise? 

I’ve been surprised by the state of competition in the broadband market. If you had asked me a couple of years ago, I would have said that cable was ideally positioned to dominate the broadband market. They had billions of dollars invested toward achieving the fastest speeds and reliability, as well as the latest infrastructure technologies, from DOCSIS and fiber technologies, that were unmatched.

The strength of new entrants and speed of competition surprised me a bit. As new competitors made the most of new funding (BEAD, ACP, etc.), we saw new competition emerge quickly in the form of fiber, fixed wireless and now low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. Now, for the first time ever, we’re seeing the downturn of broadband take rates and flat-to-declining subscriber growth in the cable sector.

Competition breeds innovation – and better customer experiences. And I believe that cable players are ready to fiercely compete. They are well-positioned to bundle services and have the depth of expertise to price and package offerings that will be innovative and attractive to customers.

What are some of the biggest shifts in the industry that we’re seeing right now, as we speak? 

Telcos and other subscription-based businesses are realizing the urgent need to simplifythe subscriber experience. Customers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of subscriptions and need help keeping track of bundles, discounts, time-based services and package deals that include multiple content providers. Those who wish to cancel just one subscription in a bundle may face rising costs, leading to bill confusion and a feeling of being “stuck” with services they no longer want to receive. 

This presents an enormous opportunity for operators who step in to support customers with a more transparent, straightforward billing experience. We are seeing telcos, cable providers and streamers eliminate frustration and retain customers by simplifying offerings, providing more apparent package options and offering personalized, automated bill explanations. 

Tell us more about CSG’s vision for 2025 and beyond! What can we expect in the year to come?

Expect to see customer experience at the heart of how we move the company forward. As operators look to build trust with customers and maximize lifetime value, I’m excited to see CSG continue to help operators meet customers when, where and how they want, in the moments that matter most.

CSG’s Experience to Value^™ framework is a phased approach for operators to engage with customers efficiently and effectively at every lifecycle stage. This approach enables them to deliver effortless, value-driven experiences that reduce friction and drive customer satisfaction, lowering costs and realizing ROI. 

The past 25 years have been electric for CSG, and I can’t wait to see where the next 25 years take us. I feel confident that in two decades, the customer will still be at the heart of our strategy and our story. Let’s see what happens next.