Dean Denhart has extensive technology leadership expertise in telecom, media and technology-related industries across large, medium and start-up companies. Denhart has been directly involved in the acquisition and operation integration of over 18 technology companies with expertise in off-shore, joint ventures and partnerships. As CEO of BlackArrow, Denhart is responsible for all business operations, technology development, financial management, business development and governance of BlackArrow. Previously, Denhart oversaw the strategic development of product and technology at Knight Ridder Digital. Denhart was also CIO and executive vice president of product and technology for HomeStore, an online real estate marketing company. Prior, he served as vice president of AirTouch Communications’ software systems group, held a vice president of network systems role during a 17-year tenure with SBC Communications/Pacific Bell, was CIO of Telecel (a wireless company) in Portugal and was an integral research and development executive at Bell Communications Research.
Larry Kramer chairman
Larry Kramer is chairman of the board at BlackArrow. From March 2005 until November 2006, he served as the first president of CBS Digital Media, a new division he created to integrate all new media operations for the network. Prior to joining CBS, Kramer was chairman, CEO and founder of MarketWatch, Inc. (CBS MarketWatch) until its sale to Dow Jones in January 2005. Kramer was also vice president of Data Broadcasting Corp., following its acquisition of his company, DataSport, Inc. Previously, Kramer spent more than 20 years in journalism as an award-winning reporter and editor for the San Francisco Examiner, the Washington Post and the Trenton (N.J.) Times. Kramer sits on the board of directors of Discovery Communications (DISCA), American Media Inc., Freedom Communications, BlackArrow and Harvard Business School Publications, and serves on the advisory boards of the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, Minyanville, Crossborders, WallStreetCheatSheet, Appinions and Jib Jab Media Inc. He also is an adjunct professor in Media Management at the S. I. Newhouse School in Syracuse University and author of the book and blog C-Scape: Conquer the Forces Changing Business Today.
Peter Flint
general partner, Polaris Venture Partners
Peter Flint joined Polaris in 2003 and brings over 25 years of experience as an operating executive in the consumer media industry – combined with building senior management teams for early-stage, venture-backed companies. Prior to joining Polaris, Flint was a managing director with Ramsey Beirne Associates, the leading provider of executive searches to high-growth, leading-edge information technology companies. Flint has enjoyed a successful 15-year sales and marketing career in the cable television industry, initially with Showtime Entertainment and MTV Networks. He also worked with the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins to develop and launch the New England Sports Network. In addition, as vice president of Sales and Marketing for QVC Network, Flint directed a team to secure long-term distribution agreements with the nation’s largest cable companies, which was instrumental in the successful initial public offering. Flint was an early entrant in the interactive television marketplace as vice president of Video Jukebox Network, the company that built out the first nationally distributed, on-demand television network.
Joan Gillman
executive vice president and president, Time Warner Cable Media
Joan Gillman is Executive Vice President and President, Time Warner Cable Media,where she heads up the ad sales force and leads the effort to deliver advanced advertising, data and interactive solutions for advertisers and network partners. Gillman joined Time Warner Cable in May 2005 as Vice President of Interactive TV and Advanced Advertising. From 1995-1997, she served as Vice President of Marketing for the leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the healthcare industry, Physicians’ Online. From there, she made the jump into Digital TV by heading up the business development, regulatory and legal teams for British Interactive Broadcasting. In 2001, she served as President of Static2358, the interactive TV, games and production subsidiary of OpenTV. Gillman is a member of Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT), and is a Betsy Magness Fellow Class XV. She also serves professionally on the boards of NCC, CAB and Adlink.
David B. Horowitz
managing director, Comcast Ventures
David Horowitz focuses his efforts in digital media, advertising, consumer Internet, and other relevant sectors. Horowitz works closely with Genacast Ventures, a seed stage venture fund affiliated with Comcast Ventures (CV). Horowitz’s responsibilities at CV include sourcing new investment opportunities and advising and sitting on the board of CV portfolio companies. Prior to joining Comcast Ventures in 2000, Horowitz worked in the investment banking department at Bear Stearns, advising clients in the media and entertainment sector that included cable, broadcasting, publishing, education, advertising/marketing and Internet/new media, among others. David holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with highest honors from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Accounting and Finance. Horowitz serves on the Board of Directors of BlackArrow, Invite Media, JiWire, TidalTV, and Visible World and is involved as an advisor or board observer to a number of other CV portfolio companies. Horowitz was previously involved in CV’s investments in Entropic Communications (NASDAQ: ENTR), Giant Realm (acquired by Burst Media), Intellon Corporation (NASDAQ: ITLN, acquired by Atheros Communications), Linkshare (acquired by Rakuten), Nuera Communications (acquired by AudioCodes), RF Magic (acquired by Entropic Communications), and XOS Technologies (acquired by JumpTV).
Derek Idemoto
director, corporate development, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Derek Idemoto joined Cisco in 2007 and is responsible for driving Cisco’s strategy, acquisitions and investments across the consumer and digital media markets. Prior to joining Cisco, Idemoto was the managing director of venture investment for ITOCHU Technology, the Silicon Valley-based technology venture capital and business development arm of ITOCHU Corporation. Before joining ITOCHU, he was vice president of corporate development at Overture Services (acquired by Yahoo! in 2003), the pioneer of commercial search services on the Internet. Previously, Idemoto was a venture associate at Kline Hawkes & Co., a Los Angeles private equity firm, where he focused on technology-enabled services investments. He began his professional career as an investment banker with both Cowen & Co. and BancAmerica Securities.
Pyrros Koussios
SVP Corporate Development, NDS Group Ltd.
Koussios has been with NDS since 1999 following five years with Cable & Wireless and four years as a technology company entrepreneur in Switzerland. At NDS, he is responsible for all strategic development activities and transactions of the group. In this capacity, he led the recent NDS leveraged buy-out and managed the earlier IPO of NDS on NASDAQ as well as the restructuring of the company. Over the years Koussios has acquired over a dozen digital media technology companies around the world on behalf of NDS and has negotiated and established joint ventures in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. At Cable & Wireless, Koussios occupied a number of sales and business development related roles and was involved in M&A transactions in Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific. Prior, Koussios founded and grew a start-up company in data networking in Switzerland.
Alexander K. Marquez
director, strategic investments, Intel Capital, Intel Corporation
Alexander Marquez is currently responsible for Intel Capital’s investments and strategies related to Digital Media. Prior to joining Intel Capital, Alexander served as technical advisor to the senior vice president of Intel’s Interactive Media Services division where he advised on strategy and media investments. Alexander also served as controller for Intel’s Content Services division where he oversaw financial aspects of the division, including numerous investments in Europe, Japan, Asia, and Latin America. Alexander joined Intel Corporation in 1994 where he held various management roles prior to joining Intel Capital. Alexander holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was the past Chairman of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Board and currently serves on the College of Engineering Advisory Board. Alexander has managed or co-managed investments around the globe including Atom Entertainment (acquired by Viacom), Akella, BlackArrow, Gametrust, Envivio, K2 Network, Trymedia (acquired by Macrovision), SixApart, and Synacor. He is on the board of directors of BlackArrow, Envivio, K2 Network, The Generations Network, and Synacor.
Allen Morgan
managing director, Mayfield Fund
Allen Morgan was a Managing Director at Mayfield Fund from 1999 until 2010, focusing on investments in Consumer Internet that included notable investments in Jotspot (acquired by Google), PlanetOut (acquired by HereMedia), Pluck (acquired by Demand Media), Slide (acquired by Google) and Varsity Group (acquired by Follett Corp). He currently represents Mayfield on the boards of BlackArrow, DECA, Idealab and Tagged.
Michael Pohl
Regarded as a thought leader in the cable industry for more than two decades, Michael Pohl has been instrumental in solving issues and building value for cable operators, programmers and technology providers. Pohl currently is chairman of the board of BigBand Networks, on the board of directors of Ascent Media Corporation and an advisor to both Canoe Ventures and Jinni Ltd. His executive career included positions as president of the Global Strategies Group at C-COR, as CEO at nCUBE Corporation and as interim vice president and general manager of the On Demand Systems Division at ARRIS – following ARRIS’ acquisition of C-COR. Previously, Pohl was CEO of SkyConnect and held executive positions with Tribune Communications and Douglas Communications Corporations. His contributions were key to the creation of HITS, the digital satellite delivery service. A member of the Cable TV Pioneers, Pohl has been an actively involved with CableLabs, CTAM and NCTA. Pohl received cable’s highest honor, the Vanguard Award, in 2008.
Yves Raymond
sr. director, corporate development and ventures, Motorola Mobility, Inc.
Yves Raymond is responsible for defining the investment pipeline and executing on investments and disinvestments through partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions for Motorola Mobility’s mobile devices business. Raymond has led many of Motorola’s recent acquisitions such as Zecter Inc, Aloqa GmgH, 3LM and Soundbuzz – and was instrumental in the divestiture of several Motorola development sites in Europe. Raymond started his career with Motorola in Ottawa, Canada and has held key management positions in sales, marketing and product development for severak Motorola businesses over the past 22 years. He has extensive international product marketing experience with a focus on launching products worldwide.
Advisory Board
Larry Goodman
president, White Mountain Media
Larry Goodman is a 30-year media and advertising industry veteran, affiliated for two decades with CNN. He previously served as president of CNN Sales and Marketing, and held concurrent responsibilities as president of News and Operations at Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. Earlier in his career, Goodman held media planning positions at advertising agencies McCann Erickson and Grey Advertising. He previously served on the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau’s (CAB) National Sales Advisory Board.
Tim Hanlon
CEO and managing director, Velociter
Tim Hanlon is CEO/Managing Director of Velociter, the innovation-centric partnership and strategic investment arm of Mediabrands – the corporate media agency division of New York-based marketing services agency firm, Interpublic Group. Hanlon is chiefly responsible for driving paradigm-changing advances in marketing, media and consumer communications for Mediabrands’ main operating entities – Universal McCann, Initiative. Magna, and Mediabrands Ventures – through proprietary partnership with today’s most forward-leaning entrepreneurs, incubators and investors. Hanlon was previously the Executive Vice President/Managing Director of Publicis Groupe’s VivaKi Ventures – the strategic partnership and investment arm of VivaKi (comprising Starcom MediaVest Group, Zenith Optimedia Group, Digitas, Razorfish, and Denuo), which he founded in 2008, after launching predecessor Ventures practices for Denuo (2006) and Publicis Groupe Media/PGM (2005).
Scott Kurnit
media and technology entrepreneur
Scott Kurnit is an investor and advisor at the cross-section of media and technology. He sits on the Boards of Brightcove, Dotomi and Goodmail Systems and advises several prominent start-up companies in the media and Web space. Kurnit founded and served as chairman and CEO of About.com, now owned by the New York Times Company. A holder of four patents, Kurnit started the first Pay Per View cable network and served as program director for Qube, the world’s first fully interactive cable system. Kurnit has worked at the highest levels of Warner, Viacom, News Corp., PBS, IBM, and MCI. He has also won several prestigious media awards, including an Emmy for producing a weekly television news magazine.
Board of Directors
Directors
Dean Denhart
chief executive officer, BlackArrow
Dean Denhart has extensive technology leadership expertise in telecom, media and technology-related industries across large, medium and start-up companies. Denhart has been directly involved in the acquisition and operation integration of over 18 technology companies with expertise in off-shore, joint ventures and partnerships. As CEO of BlackArrow, Denhart is responsible for all business operations, technology development, financial management, business development and governance of BlackArrow. Previously, Denhart oversaw the strategic development of product and technology at Knight Ridder Digital. Denhart was also CIO and executive vice president of product and technology for HomeStore, an online real estate marketing company. Prior, he served as vice president of AirTouch Communications’ software systems group, held a vice president of network systems role during a 17-year tenure with SBC Communications/Pacific Bell, was CIO of Telecel (a wireless company) in Portugal and was an integral research and development executive at Bell Communications Research.
Larry Kramer
chairman
Larry Kramer is chairman of the board at BlackArrow. From March 2005 until November 2006, he served as the first president of CBS Digital Media, a new division he created to integrate all new media operations for the network. Prior to joining CBS, Kramer was chairman, CEO and founder of MarketWatch, Inc. (CBS MarketWatch) until its sale to Dow Jones in January 2005. Kramer was also vice president of Data Broadcasting Corp., following its acquisition of his company, DataSport, Inc. Previously, Kramer spent more than 20 years in journalism as an award-winning reporter and editor for the San Francisco Examiner, the Washington Post and the Trenton (N.J.) Times. Kramer sits on the board of directors of Discovery Communications (DISCA), American Media Inc., Freedom Communications, BlackArrow and Harvard Business School Publications, and serves on the advisory boards of the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, Minyanville, Crossborders, WallStreetCheatSheet, Appinions and Jib Jab Media Inc. He also is an adjunct professor in Media Management at the S. I. Newhouse School in Syracuse University and author of the book and blog C-Scape: Conquer the Forces Changing Business Today.
Peter Flint
general partner, Polaris Venture Partners
Peter Flint joined Polaris in 2003 and brings over 25 years of experience as an operating executive in the consumer media industry – combined with building senior management teams for early-stage, venture-backed companies. Prior to joining Polaris, Flint was a managing director with Ramsey Beirne Associates, the leading provider of executive searches to high-growth, leading-edge information technology companies. Flint has enjoyed a successful 15-year sales and marketing career in the cable television industry, initially with Showtime Entertainment and MTV Networks. He also worked with the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins to develop and launch the New England Sports Network. In addition, as vice president of Sales and Marketing for QVC Network, Flint directed a team to secure long-term distribution agreements with the nation’s largest cable companies, which was instrumental in the successful initial public offering. Flint was an early entrant in the interactive television marketplace as vice president of Video Jukebox Network, the company that built out the first nationally distributed, on-demand television network.
Joan Gillman
executive vice president and president, Time Warner Cable Media
Joan Gillman is Executive Vice President and President, Time Warner Cable Media,where she heads up the ad sales force and leads the effort to deliver advanced advertising, data and interactive solutions for advertisers and network partners. Gillman joined Time Warner Cable in May 2005 as Vice President of Interactive TV and Advanced Advertising. From 1995-1997, she served as Vice President of Marketing for the leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the healthcare industry, Physicians’ Online. From there, she made the jump into Digital TV by heading up the business development, regulatory and legal teams for British Interactive Broadcasting. In 2001, she served as President of Static2358, the interactive TV, games and production subsidiary of OpenTV. Gillman is a member of Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT), and is a Betsy Magness Fellow Class XV. She also serves professionally on the boards of NCC, CAB and Adlink.
David B. Horowitz
managing director, Comcast Ventures
David Horowitz focuses his efforts in digital media, advertising, consumer Internet, and other relevant sectors. Horowitz works closely with Genacast Ventures, a seed stage venture fund affiliated with Comcast Ventures (CV). Horowitz’s responsibilities at CV include sourcing new investment opportunities and advising and sitting on the board of CV portfolio companies. Prior to joining Comcast Ventures in 2000, Horowitz worked in the investment banking department at Bear Stearns, advising clients in the media and entertainment sector that included cable, broadcasting, publishing, education, advertising/marketing and Internet/new media, among others. David holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with highest honors from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Accounting and Finance. Horowitz serves on the Board of Directors of BlackArrow, Invite Media, JiWire, TidalTV, and Visible World and is involved as an advisor or board observer to a number of other CV portfolio companies. Horowitz was previously involved in CV’s investments in Entropic Communications (NASDAQ: ENTR), Giant Realm (acquired by Burst Media), Intellon Corporation (NASDAQ: ITLN, acquired by Atheros Communications), Linkshare (acquired by Rakuten), Nuera Communications (acquired by AudioCodes), RF Magic (acquired by Entropic Communications), and XOS Technologies (acquired by JumpTV).
Derek Idemoto
director, corporate development, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Derek Idemoto joined Cisco in 2007 and is responsible for driving Cisco’s strategy, acquisitions and investments across the consumer and digital media markets. Prior to joining Cisco, Idemoto was the managing director of venture investment for ITOCHU Technology, the Silicon Valley-based technology venture capital and business development arm of ITOCHU Corporation. Before joining ITOCHU, he was vice president of corporate development at Overture Services (acquired by Yahoo! in 2003), the pioneer of commercial search services on the Internet. Previously, Idemoto was a venture associate at Kline Hawkes & Co., a Los Angeles private equity firm, where he focused on technology-enabled services investments. He began his professional career as an investment banker with both Cowen & Co. and BancAmerica Securities.
Pyrros Koussios
SVP Corporate Development, NDS Group Ltd.
Koussios has been with NDS since 1999 following five years with Cable & Wireless and four years as a technology company entrepreneur in Switzerland. At NDS, he is responsible for all strategic development activities and transactions of the group. In this capacity, he led the recent NDS leveraged buy-out and managed the earlier IPO of NDS on NASDAQ as well as the restructuring of the company. Over the years Koussios has acquired over a dozen digital media technology companies around the world on behalf of NDS and has negotiated and established joint ventures in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. At Cable & Wireless, Koussios occupied a number of sales and business development related roles and was involved in M&A transactions in Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific. Prior, Koussios founded and grew a start-up company in data networking in Switzerland.
Alexander K. Marquez
director, strategic investments, Intel Capital, Intel Corporation
Alexander Marquez is currently responsible for Intel Capital’s investments and strategies related to Digital Media. Prior to joining Intel Capital, Alexander served as technical advisor to the senior vice president of Intel’s Interactive Media Services division where he advised on strategy and media investments. Alexander also served as controller for Intel’s Content Services division where he oversaw financial aspects of the division, including numerous investments in Europe, Japan, Asia, and Latin America. Alexander joined Intel Corporation in 1994 where he held various management roles prior to joining Intel Capital. Alexander holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was the past Chairman of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Board and currently serves on the College of Engineering Advisory Board. Alexander has managed or co-managed investments around the globe including Atom Entertainment (acquired by Viacom), Akella, BlackArrow, Gametrust, Envivio, K2 Network, Trymedia (acquired by Macrovision), SixApart, and Synacor. He is on the board of directors of BlackArrow, Envivio, K2 Network, The Generations Network, and Synacor.
Allen Morgan
managing director, Mayfield Fund
Allen Morgan was a Managing Director at Mayfield Fund from 1999 until 2010, focusing on investments in Consumer Internet that included notable investments in Jotspot (acquired by Google), PlanetOut (acquired by HereMedia), Pluck (acquired by Demand Media), Slide (acquired by Google) and Varsity Group (acquired by Follett Corp). He currently represents Mayfield on the boards of BlackArrow, DECA, Idealab and Tagged.
Michael Pohl
Regarded as a thought leader in the cable industry for more than two decades, Michael Pohl has been instrumental in solving issues and building value for cable operators, programmers and technology providers. Pohl currently is chairman of the board of BigBand Networks, on the board of directors of Ascent Media Corporation and an advisor to both Canoe Ventures and Jinni Ltd. His executive career included positions as president of the Global Strategies Group at C-COR, as CEO at nCUBE Corporation and as interim vice president and general manager of the On Demand Systems Division at ARRIS – following ARRIS’ acquisition of C-COR. Previously, Pohl was CEO of SkyConnect and held executive positions with Tribune Communications and Douglas Communications Corporations. His contributions were key to the creation of HITS, the digital satellite delivery service. A member of the Cable TV Pioneers, Pohl has been an actively involved with CableLabs, CTAM and NCTA. Pohl received cable’s highest honor, the Vanguard Award, in 2008.
Yves Raymond
sr. director, corporate development and ventures, Motorola Mobility, Inc.
Yves Raymond is responsible for defining the investment pipeline and executing on investments and disinvestments through partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions for Motorola Mobility’s mobile devices business. Raymond has led many of Motorola’s recent acquisitions such as Zecter Inc, Aloqa GmgH, 3LM and Soundbuzz – and was instrumental in the divestiture of several Motorola development sites in Europe. Raymond started his career with Motorola in Ottawa, Canada and has held key management positions in sales, marketing and product development for severak Motorola businesses over the past 22 years. He has extensive international product marketing experience with a focus on launching products worldwide.
Advisory Board
Larry Goodman
president, White Mountain Media
Larry Goodman is a 30-year media and advertising industry veteran, affiliated for two decades with CNN. He previously served as president of CNN Sales and Marketing, and held concurrent responsibilities as president of News and Operations at Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. Earlier in his career, Goodman held media planning positions at advertising agencies McCann Erickson and Grey Advertising. He previously served on the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau’s (CAB) National Sales Advisory Board.
Tim Hanlon
CEO and managing director, Velociter
Tim Hanlon is CEO/Managing Director of Velociter, the innovation-centric partnership and strategic investment arm of Mediabrands – the corporate media agency division of New York-based marketing services agency firm, Interpublic Group. Hanlon is chiefly responsible for driving paradigm-changing advances in marketing, media and consumer communications for Mediabrands’ main operating entities – Universal McCann, Initiative. Magna, and Mediabrands Ventures – through proprietary partnership with today’s most forward-leaning entrepreneurs, incubators and investors. Hanlon was previously the Executive Vice President/Managing Director of Publicis Groupe’s VivaKi Ventures – the strategic partnership and investment arm of VivaKi (comprising Starcom MediaVest Group, Zenith Optimedia Group, Digitas, Razorfish, and Denuo), which he founded in 2008, after launching predecessor Ventures practices for Denuo (2006) and Publicis Groupe Media/PGM (2005).
Scott Kurnit
media and technology entrepreneur
Scott Kurnit is an investor and advisor at the cross-section of media and technology. He sits on the Boards of Brightcove, Dotomi and Goodmail Systems and advises several prominent start-up companies in the media and Web space. Kurnit founded and served as chairman and CEO of About.com, now owned by the New York Times Company. A holder of four patents, Kurnit started the first Pay Per View cable network and served as program director for Qube, the world’s first fully interactive cable system. Kurnit has worked at the highest levels of Warner, Viacom, News Corp., PBS, IBM, and MCI. He has also won several prestigious media awards, including an Emmy for producing a weekly television news magazine.