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VCs, Start-ups, Entrepreneurship and Career Success…

Meet Robbie Vann-Adibé - (MSc MSOR, Class of 1984)

Robbie Vann-AdibéSat 4 February 2006, 11:00 - 12:00, MBA Teaching Centre

Meet Robbie Vann- Adibé, one of WBS’ most successful entrepreneurial alumni, with over 16 years experience in technology, start-ups, consulting and financial services in the US and Europe. Robbie now works in VC activity in the US and Europe, based in San Francisco.

Robbie was formerly CEO of Ecast, a digital jukebox company, headhunted to accelerate the return for investors. He developed Ecast from a start-up to an operational enterprise, paving a clear path to success in a proven multi-billion dollar market, stimulating users' appetite for delivery of the best Internet-based content - anywhere, anytime.

To Book a Place

Email your name followed by 4.2.06 (e.g. FRED SMITH/4.2.06) to Development.Office@wbs.ac.uk – it’s as simple as that!

Background Information about Robbie Vann-Adibe’s Career:

  • He started his career as a developer on Wall Street, building trading and clearing systems at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse First Boston. He also worked at Bain and Co.
  • Vann-Adibé launched several start-up technology companies including Seer Technologies, a CASE tools firm.
  • He has held various senior positions at global software giant, Oracle, and was Vice President of Product Marketing at start-up Illustra, an Object-Relational Database company.
  • Vann-Adibé co-founded Viant, a web-services company, leading its global expansion. Viant completed an initial public offering in June 1999.
  • Vann-Adibé also served as Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton in San Francisco, where he led strategic consulting initiatives.
  • He holds a B.S. in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics from The London School of Economics and an M.S. in Management Science and Operational Research from The University of Warwick.
  • Robbie has featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Wired Magazine, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times and the International Herald Tribune, to name but a few.

Why Jukeboxes?

Jukeboxes are now big business through recent revolutions in technology (think MP3 for example). A jukebox linked by the Internet to a database offers virtually unlimited choice. In Europe, Internet jukeboxes can theoretically access 2 million songs. In the United States, where licensing laws are stricter, Ecast jukeboxes can dial up 150,000 songs, with more songs added every week.

A typical CD jukebox generates about $400 a month in revenue. With Ecast’s product, a jukebox generates an average of $1,000 a month.

“Robbie’s abilities and insight were extremely beneficial in moving Ecast from a start-up to an operational enterprise and we thank him for his efforts,” said Jim Feuille, an Ecast partner and investor at Crosslink Capital.

More Information

The Long Tail - Wired (October 2004)

A Short History of the Long Tail - Chis Ander (Editor of Wired) on Always On (December 2005)

Ecast website