Michael Thelander
CEO and Founder, Signals Research Group
Michael Thelander is the CEO and Founder of Signals Research Group, LLC (SRG), a US-based
research consultancy that offers thought-leading field research and consulting services on the
wireless telecommunications industry. Its flagship research product is a research product entitled
“Signals Ahead,” which has attracted a strong following across the entire wireless ecosystem with
corporate subscribers on five continents. The consultancy also published the first independent study
of next-generation wireless economics, which many industry followers consider to be the preeminent
study of its kind. In his current endeavor, Mr. Thelander is the lead analyst for Signals Ahead and he
guides a team of industry experts that provide consulting services for the wireless industry, including
some of the largest mobile operators, the top equipment OEMs, trade associations, and financial
institutions.
Prior to founding SRG, Mr. Thelander was an analyst with Deutsche Bank Equity Research where he
followed the wireless industry. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Thelander was a consultant with
KPMG (now known as BearingPoint) and a communications officer with the United States Army. Mr.
Thelander has also published numerous articles for leading trade publications and engineering
journals throughout his career. He has been an invited speaker at industry conferences around the
world and he is frequently quoted by major news sources and industry newsletters, including The
Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Investors Business Daily, Reuters, Bloomberg
News, and The China Daily. Mr. Thelander earned a Masters of Science in Solid State Physics from
North Carolina State University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of
Chicago, Graduate School of Business.
CEO and Founder, Signals Research Group
Michael Thelander is the CEO and Founder of Signals Research Group, LLC (SRG), a US-based
research consultancy that offers thought-leading field research and consulting services on the
wireless telecommunications industry. Its flagship research product is a research product entitled
“Signals Ahead,” which has attracted a strong following across the entire wireless ecosystem with
corporate subscribers on five continents. The consultancy also published the first independent study
of next-generation wireless economics, which many industry followers consider to be the preeminent
study of its kind. In his current endeavor, Mr. Thelander is the lead analyst for Signals Ahead and he
guides a team of industry experts that provide consulting services for the wireless industry, including
some of the largest mobile operators, the top equipment OEMs, trade associations, and financial
institutions.
Prior to founding SRG, Mr. Thelander was an analyst with Deutsche Bank Equity Research where he
followed the wireless industry. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Thelander was a consultant with
KPMG (now known as BearingPoint) and a communications officer with the United States Army. Mr.
Thelander has also published numerous articles for leading trade publications and engineering
journals throughout his career. He has been an invited speaker at industry conferences around the
world and he is frequently quoted by major news sources and industry newsletters, including The
Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Investors Business Daily, Reuters, Bloomberg
News, and The China Daily. Mr. Thelander earned a Masters of Science in Solid State Physics from
North Carolina State University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of
Chicago, Graduate School of Business.
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| Sponsor |
Wireless Economic Development Summit
| Silicon Valley |
| August 20 -21, 2009 Mountain View, California |
| A Silicon Valley Multi-Organization Collaboration Initiative |
Speakers Bio
Track 2 - Business
10:40 - 12:00
Kevin Spain
Principal, Emergence Capital Partner
Kevin is a Principal at Emergence Capital Partners. His deep knowledge of the enterprise and
consumer technology sectors comes from time spent at blue-chip software companies and from his
experience as an entrepreneur. He currently sits on the board of Veeva Systems.
Prior to joining Emergence, Kevin was a senior member of Microsoft's Corporate Development group.
In this role, he shared responsibility for sourcing, structuring, and negotiating Microsoft's acquisitions,
strategic investments, and joint ventures. Under his leadership, Kevin's team participated in over
$500 million in transactions spanning all of Microsoft's business groups.
Prior to Microsoft, Kevin was with Electronic Arts, where he was a member of the team that launched
EA's online gaming business. Today, Electronic Arts operates several of the most popular online
gaming destinations in the world. Later, Kevin served in Electronic Arts' Corporate Development
group, where he helped manage the Company's acquisition and strategic investment efforts.
Before Electronic Arts, Kevin was Co-Founder and CEO of atMadison.com, a business he started
after winning the first annual Wharton Business Plan Competition. atMadison.com provided a hosted
marketing management solution for small and medium sized companies.
Kevin earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BBA from the
University of Texas at Austin. He is a graduate of the Kauffman Fellows Program.
Principal, Emergence Capital Partner
Kevin is a Principal at Emergence Capital Partners. His deep knowledge of the enterprise and
consumer technology sectors comes from time spent at blue-chip software companies and from his
experience as an entrepreneur. He currently sits on the board of Veeva Systems.
Prior to joining Emergence, Kevin was a senior member of Microsoft's Corporate Development group.
In this role, he shared responsibility for sourcing, structuring, and negotiating Microsoft's acquisitions,
strategic investments, and joint ventures. Under his leadership, Kevin's team participated in over
$500 million in transactions spanning all of Microsoft's business groups.
Prior to Microsoft, Kevin was with Electronic Arts, where he was a member of the team that launched
EA's online gaming business. Today, Electronic Arts operates several of the most popular online
gaming destinations in the world. Later, Kevin served in Electronic Arts' Corporate Development
group, where he helped manage the Company's acquisition and strategic investment efforts.
Before Electronic Arts, Kevin was Co-Founder and CEO of atMadison.com, a business he started
after winning the first annual Wharton Business Plan Competition. atMadison.com provided a hosted
marketing management solution for small and medium sized companies.
Kevin earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BBA from the
University of Texas at Austin. He is a graduate of the Kauffman Fellows Program.
1:30 - 3:30
Liz Kerton
President, The Telecom Council of Silicon Valley
Ms, Kerton is a technology and telecom marketing expert with a 20-year entrepreneurial history - from
retail and wholesale to online and manufacturing. After nearly 10 years in the technology industry,
where she had been responsible for marketing many new businesses- from venture-funded startups
and new high-tech products to new corporate divisions, Ms. Kerton began to specialize in wireless
and started her own consulting business, The Kerton Group. She has since launched dozens of
products and companies with many successful exits. She also runs the Telecom Council of Silicon
Valley - a professional association for telecom industry insiders, and chairs the Service Provider
Forum- a monthly forum for R&D and venture representatives of wireless and wired carriers
worldwide. Ms. Kerton speaks English, French, and Spanish and has a MA in Diplomacy from Tufts
University's Fletcher School.
President, The Telecom Council of Silicon Valley
Ms, Kerton is a technology and telecom marketing expert with a 20-year entrepreneurial history - from
retail and wholesale to online and manufacturing. After nearly 10 years in the technology industry,
where she had been responsible for marketing many new businesses- from venture-funded startups
and new high-tech products to new corporate divisions, Ms. Kerton began to specialize in wireless
and started her own consulting business, The Kerton Group. She has since launched dozens of
products and companies with many successful exits. She also runs the Telecom Council of Silicon
Valley - a professional association for telecom industry insiders, and chairs the Service Provider
Forum- a monthly forum for R&D and venture representatives of wireless and wired carriers
worldwide. Ms. Kerton speaks English, French, and Spanish and has a MA in Diplomacy from Tufts
University's Fletcher School.
3:30 - 5:00
Bob Borchers
General Partner, Opus Capital
A mobile and consumer marketing veteran with more than 20 years operating experience, Bob
Borchers comes to Opus Capital from Apple, Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) where he served as Sr. Director of
Worldwide Product Marketing for the iPhone. At Opus Borchers is focused on investments in mobile
applications and services as well as adjacent opportunities in both hardware and software.
As part of the original iPhone team, Bob was instrumental in the development, launch and global
expansion of the revolutionary iPhone, iPhone OS, App Store and the recent launch of the iPhone
3GS. While at Apple he also led the Nike+iPod partnership, expanded the iPod accessory ecosystem,
and forged relationships with every major auto company to provide iPod integration.
Bob holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and a Masters
Degree from a joint program between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard
Medical School in Health Sciences and Technology. He has more than 30 patents granted or pending.
General Partner, Opus Capital
A mobile and consumer marketing veteran with more than 20 years operating experience, Bob
Borchers comes to Opus Capital from Apple, Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) where he served as Sr. Director of
Worldwide Product Marketing for the iPhone. At Opus Borchers is focused on investments in mobile
applications and services as well as adjacent opportunities in both hardware and software.
As part of the original iPhone team, Bob was instrumental in the development, launch and global
expansion of the revolutionary iPhone, iPhone OS, App Store and the recent launch of the iPhone
3GS. While at Apple he also led the Nike+iPod partnership, expanded the iPod accessory ecosystem,
and forged relationships with every major auto company to provide iPod integration.
Bob holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and a Masters
Degree from a joint program between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard
Medical School in Health Sciences and Technology. He has more than 30 patents granted or pending.
Harshul Sanghi
Managing Director, Motorola Ventures West
Harshul Sanghi is a managing director of Motorola Ventures, based in Sunnyvale, California.
Harshul's role includes identifying, executing, and managing strategic investments in startup
companies that will drive the realization of Motorola's vision.
Harshul comes to Motorola through its acquisition of Ucentric Systems, a leading provider of Whole
Home Media solutions, where he was responsible for worldwide sales and market development of
electronics, and semiconductor industries. Prior to Ucentric, Harshul served as general manager of
the satellite and terrestrial business team of Philips Electronic's North America set top division. At
Philips, Harshul developed markets for direct to home satellite television and broadband satellite
modems and was responsible for directing product development, strategy, sales, marketing, as well
as business and strategic alliance development. Harshul's early career was spent in various
technical and sales management positions in Silicon Valley, Singapore and Western Europe.
Harshul holds an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in
Lausanne, Switzerland, and a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Oregon.
He also holds a bachelor's degree in Accountancy and Financial Management from the University of
Bombay, India. Harshul is an active member of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Organization and has
spoken on numerous industry panels. Harshul, himself an entrepreneur, enjoys working with Silicon
Valley's entrepreneurial community to drive the adoption of disruptive market technologies.
Managing Director, Motorola Ventures West
Harshul Sanghi is a managing director of Motorola Ventures, based in Sunnyvale, California.
Harshul's role includes identifying, executing, and managing strategic investments in startup
companies that will drive the realization of Motorola's vision.
Harshul comes to Motorola through its acquisition of Ucentric Systems, a leading provider of Whole
Home Media solutions, where he was responsible for worldwide sales and market development of
electronics, and semiconductor industries. Prior to Ucentric, Harshul served as general manager of
the satellite and terrestrial business team of Philips Electronic's North America set top division. At
Philips, Harshul developed markets for direct to home satellite television and broadband satellite
modems and was responsible for directing product development, strategy, sales, marketing, as well
as business and strategic alliance development. Harshul's early career was spent in various
technical and sales management positions in Silicon Valley, Singapore and Western Europe.
Harshul holds an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in
Lausanne, Switzerland, and a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Oregon.
He also holds a bachelor's degree in Accountancy and Financial Management from the University of
Bombay, India. Harshul is an active member of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Organization and has
spoken on numerous industry panels. Harshul, himself an entrepreneur, enjoys working with Silicon
Valley's entrepreneurial community to drive the adoption of disruptive market technologies.
David Aslin
Venture Partner, Nexit Ventures
David Aslin has more than 20 years of global Infocom executive and venture creation experience. His
business building expertise was developed as General Manager at HP and in small European
technology companies; since 2000 he has applied it in Silicon Valley as a venture capitalist, startup
coach and entrepreneur. Alongside his work with Nexit, Mr. Aslin advises and creates new
companies in wireless communications including environmental and energy efficiency applications.
company Bitfone while leading early stage investing for 3i Technology Partners, where he was a
General Partner. Other wireless investments he led for 3i include Triage Wireless, Discera, Kineto
Wireless and AOptix. While serving as head of corporate and business development for Richtec plc
(now L-3 Communications) Mr. Aslin created a new communications equipment company, Ottercom,
and became its first CEO; it was later acquired by EMS Technologies. Mr. Aslin’s career at HP
progressed from sales engineer to UK General Manager and member of the European leadership
team. He created and led a new pan-European business opportunity to $30m revenues in less than
two years. A frequent speaker on venture and technology topics, Mr. Aslin is a Charter Member at
SVASE and EIR at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at University of California,
Berkeley. Mr. Aslin holds an M.S. from Imperial College, London; CBA from Warwick Business
School and MSIB from INSEAD, France.
Venture Partner, Nexit Ventures
David Aslin has more than 20 years of global Infocom executive and venture creation experience. His
business building expertise was developed as General Manager at HP and in small European
technology companies; since 2000 he has applied it in Silicon Valley as a venture capitalist, startup
coach and entrepreneur. Alongside his work with Nexit, Mr. Aslin advises and creates new
companies in wireless communications including environmental and energy efficiency applications.
company Bitfone while leading early stage investing for 3i Technology Partners, where he was a
General Partner. Other wireless investments he led for 3i include Triage Wireless, Discera, Kineto
Wireless and AOptix. While serving as head of corporate and business development for Richtec plc
(now L-3 Communications) Mr. Aslin created a new communications equipment company, Ottercom,
and became its first CEO; it was later acquired by EMS Technologies. Mr. Aslin’s career at HP
progressed from sales engineer to UK General Manager and member of the European leadership
team. He created and led a new pan-European business opportunity to $30m revenues in less than
two years. A frequent speaker on venture and technology topics, Mr. Aslin is a Charter Member at
SVASE and EIR at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at University of California,
Berkeley. Mr. Aslin holds an M.S. from Imperial College, London; CBA from Warwick Business
School and MSIB from INSEAD, France.
Principal, Norwest Venture Partners
Tim focuses on investments in mobile, gaming, digital media, and also leads NVP's investment
practice in China and Asia-Pacific. Tim led NVP's investments in and joined the boards of directors of
ngmoco, Lumos Labs, Brite Semiconductor and 3jam. He also led NVP's investment in PCH
International, a turnkey global supply chain services firm based in Shenzhen. Tim is a board observer
working closely with Borqs, deCarta, Double Fusion and Veveo. Prior to joining NVP in 2006, Tim
was a principal at Gabriel Venture Partners where he was actively involved in over a dozen
wireless-related deals and led Gabriel's investments in Iridigm Display Corporation (acquired by
Qualcomm), Sequoia Communications, Sandbridge, and Kajeet. He also contributed to the boards of
Placeware (acquired by Microsoft) and Arula Systems (acquired by Raritan), TestQuest, NextG
Networks, and IPWireless. Tim built Gabriel's wireless sector practice and helped establish
business development capabilities through strong, strategic relationships across the wireless value
chain, particularly in Asia-Pacific.
Tim began his career in venture capital in 1999 during his time at Stanford Business School as part
of the founding team of CTR Ventures K.K., a venture accelerator in Tokyo focused on seed and
early-stage mobile consumer applications for the Japanese market. Tim currently serves on the
advisory boards of the Silicon Valley Telecom Council, Dealmaker Media, Digital Hollywood, TiE
Wireless SIG, MIT/Stanford VLAB, VC Task Force, and Silicon Valley Chinese Wireless Association.
He was also listed on the AlwaysON Hollywood IT List recognizing technology leaders in the
entertainment industry, as well as by The Deal as one of five emerging VCs to watch.
Tim holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar,
and an MS in electrical engineering/system engineering as well as a BS in electrical engineering
from the University of Michigan.
Tim focuses on investments in mobile, gaming, digital media, and also leads NVP's investment
practice in China and Asia-Pacific. Tim led NVP's investments in and joined the boards of directors of
ngmoco, Lumos Labs, Brite Semiconductor and 3jam. He also led NVP's investment in PCH
International, a turnkey global supply chain services firm based in Shenzhen. Tim is a board observer
working closely with Borqs, deCarta, Double Fusion and Veveo. Prior to joining NVP in 2006, Tim
was a principal at Gabriel Venture Partners where he was actively involved in over a dozen
wireless-related deals and led Gabriel's investments in Iridigm Display Corporation (acquired by
Qualcomm), Sequoia Communications, Sandbridge, and Kajeet. He also contributed to the boards of
Placeware (acquired by Microsoft) and Arula Systems (acquired by Raritan), TestQuest, NextG
Networks, and IPWireless. Tim built Gabriel's wireless sector practice and helped establish
business development capabilities through strong, strategic relationships across the wireless value
chain, particularly in Asia-Pacific.
Tim began his career in venture capital in 1999 during his time at Stanford Business School as part
of the founding team of CTR Ventures K.K., a venture accelerator in Tokyo focused on seed and
early-stage mobile consumer applications for the Japanese market. Tim currently serves on the
advisory boards of the Silicon Valley Telecom Council, Dealmaker Media, Digital Hollywood, TiE
Wireless SIG, MIT/Stanford VLAB, VC Task Force, and Silicon Valley Chinese Wireless Association.
He was also listed on the AlwaysON Hollywood IT List recognizing technology leaders in the
entertainment industry, as well as by The Deal as one of five emerging VCs to watch.
Tim holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar,
and an MS in electrical engineering/system engineering as well as a BS in electrical engineering
from the University of Michigan.
As founder and chief marketing & development officer, Paul strives to transform the mobile payments
landscape in North America by introducing a scalable mobile payments service that is affordable,
secure, and reliable for online merchants. Paul also served as the company’s chief executive officer
for over two years.
Prior to BilltoMobile®, Paul worked at Samsung’s corporate venture capital group where he
performed technology business development and investments on behalf of Samsung in the digital
media, telecom, semiconductor, and internet sectors. Before Samsung, Paul worked in various
capacities as a management consultant, consulting to both Fortune 100 companies in the high-tech
and energy sectors, as well as for technology startups in the U.S. and Asia focusing on eCommerce,
online gaming, and the internet. He also worked directly at several U.S. technology startups in
eCommerce, online payments, and VOIP. Paul received his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at
Dartmouth as an Edward Tuck Scholar. Prior to that, he earned dual B.A. degrees in Economics and
Political Science with honors from the University of California at Los Angeles as an Alumni Scholar.
Paul is a member of American Mensa.
