The Managing Director
David has been busy since his wedding : a daughter, the wonderfully named Zazzie, and Obscura, pictured, which has occupied his interest for five-years. The company founded in 2000 to project large-scale images on to things (think the Union Jack covering Buckingham Palace during the Golden Jubilee) ; today it counts many of the world's largest brands as customers including Google and Coca Cola. There are numerous strategies to exploit the IP and David makes sure everything to a plan : a hard job for any company but perhaps more with the intersection of creative, technology and business development, each with its own demands.
Then there is venture capital to confuse everything but what high-growth company can avoid its temptation? Silicon Valley is the modern day gold mine and my generation its 49ers. VC offers a quick hit , validating one's ego, soothing cash-flow and pre-loading valuation. In return, it takes its pound of flesh in ownership. For the right type of business , ie, fast tracking towards some exit, it works fine. For others : beware. I learned this one the hard way.
