Bernard Lunn
Contact: first dot last at gmail dot com
Entrepreneur who has built technology/media ventures in Europe, Asia and America. Combines a visionary ability to identify major market trends with pragmatic business execution. Closes complex cross border deals by combining determination, negotiating experience, deep understanding of how things work and strong interpersonal skills.
| 1997 – Present |
Concordia Consulting: New York. Managing Partner
Execution oriented consulting for cross-border technology start-ups: business planning, raising capital, building management teams, closing partnership deals and managing exits. Notable achievements:
- ReadWriteWeb. Online media business focused on web technology. Grew revenue in a recession without external financing. Created two new channels: Enterprise for large companies and Start for first time entrepreneurs. Built the platform for future growth through initiatives such as contextual advertising and international franchising.
- Information Laboratory. Complexity science and visualization for re-engineering large-scale software systems. Starting with an early prototype, within 18 months, without external funding, during the “technology nuclear winter” generated enough market traction to sell the company to IBM in mid 2003.
- Closed $4m cross-border partnership deal. IMS, a Korean developer of large-scale core banking systems. Sourced, negotiated and closed a $4m (upfront) Distribution contract with the IT subsidiary of India’s leading financial institution.
- Conducted Investment Due Diligence for a Private Equity firm. Used knowledge of Indian outsourcing to evaluate a Russian outsourcing company, EPAM. The transaction closed and the company is doing well.
- Guided India’s first software product company to market. Pramati is one of India’s leading software product companies, with an established position in the J2EE application server market. Guided Pramati through two rounds of VC investment from Citigroup and Intel in 1999 and 2001. Closed large contract that ensured the company was viable without further external financing.
| 2007 – Present |
iYogi: India. Co-Founder
iYogi provides computer support via phone and remote access for home and small business users globally from a base in India. iYogi is recognized a one of the new generation of outsourcers that sell direct to consumers and small business. As one of 3 co-founders, conceived the service, built the proof of concept service and raised a $3.1m Series A round from Canaan Partners and Silicon Valley Bank and in April 2007. (http://www.iyogi.net). The company is growing fast and profitable.
| 2004 – 2009 |
IQ Resource: India & New York. Co-Founder & Chairman
Niche outsourcing for B2B Media, differentiating through rapid assembly of cross-disciplinary teams (software, content and call center). As one of 3 founders, wrote the business plan, raised angel financing, took the company to market, won marquee reference clients, hired a management team, brought the company to profitability and sold the company in September 2009.
Aregon/Misys PLC: London, New York, Singapore
| 1994 – 1996 |
Regional Director, Asia. Created 35% revenue growth in the Asia region in a mature market, broke into the Indian market and managed transition from distributors to wholly owned branch offices.
| 1990 – 1994 |
Vice-President, US Operations, Aregon. Bootstrapped the US operations from zero to $10m and profitability with top tier clients such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. Aregon was acquired by Misys.
| 1984 – 1990 |
Sales Manager, Europe. Conceived and won the lighthouse accounts that enabled Aregon to build a product in 1984, using what is now called Publish & Subscribe. The product was still being used 20 years later.
| 1981 – 1984 |
Sales Executive. Sold large-scale videotex systems (precursor to Internet technology) to European companies. Conceived and exceuted the plan to transform to a business focused on real time digital data distribution for financial trading.
Careerdata: London
| 1979 – 1981 |
Business Manager. Worked on the first online recruitment service (pre-Internet, on Prestel).
Education
Oriel College, Oxford: Oxford
| 1976 – 1979 |
B.A. Honours History.
[...] in terms of the way you do things and your livelihood. The following three articles written by Bernard Lunn over at ReadWriteWeb will provide you with a very insightful look at the current state of the Web, [...]