"Investing in Tech - the ROI of established technologies vs the next big thing"
We have assembled a group of technology leaders to compare the benefits and complexities in investing in different technologies. Specifically, we will compare the ROI between established and "cutting-edge" technologies.
Driving Directions:
North side of Rockefeller Plaza, between 50th and 51st, West of 5th Ave
Event Details
Moderator - Nandan Amladi, Equity Research Analyst - Technology, Deutsche Bank
Penelist - Chirs Downie, President and CFO, TELX
Panelist - Zach Davis, VP and and Co-Founder of Stylitics
Panelist - Max Smith, CFO of eMusic.com
Panelist - Shri Singhvi, Senior Equity Analyst Technology and FIG, Alliance Bernstein
Panelist - David Olk, COO and co-founder of ShopKeep
Panelist - Kate Davis, Business Development, Microsoft
Addmission is $30, you will receive one drink and hors d'oeuvres
Speaker Profiles
Chris Downie (Panelist)
President and CFO, TELX
Mr. Downie is responsible for the TELX's finance, human resources, procurement, marketing, IT and administration initiatives. He has built TELX's sales up to over $130 million and he brings over 18 years senior management experience to the company. Mr Downie came to Telx from Motient Corporation, where he served as EVP, COO and principal executive officer. He has also held leadership positions at Communications & Technology Advisors and BroadStreet Communications, Inc. Prior to this, Mr Downie served in the investment banking at Daniels & Associates and Bear Stearns. He received his MBA from NYU and his BA from Dartmouth.
Nandan Amladi (Moderator)
Equity Research Analyst, Deutsche Bank
Mr Amladi covers the Application Software industry at Deutsche Bank. He currently focuses on telecom, SaaS and analytics software companies. Prior to joining DB, Nandan spent over 15 years in the Application Software industry, with technical and business roles in enterprise and telecom software. Nandan holds an MBA from Chicago Booth, as well as a master's degree in computer engineering and bachelor's in electrical engineering.
Zach Davis (Panelist)
Vice President and Co-Founder, Stylitics
Zach is the Vice President and Co-Founder of Stylitics, a fashion-focused data analytics company providing real-time insights into consumer behavior. Zach has 10 years' experience in digital media, technology, and consumer insights. His accomplishments include spearheading the launch of new initiatives in the mobile and consumer insights spaces, such as the creation of the first mobile content widget. He has also lead relationships with companies including Microsoft, Amazon, and Verizon Wireless. Early in his career, Zach spent some time in the music industry, signing multiple artists to record and licensing deals. Zach holds a BBA from University of Iowa.
Max Smith (Panelist)
CFO, eMusic.com
Mr Smith is the CFO of eMusic.com. He has over 15 years of experience and previously has held executive finance and operating roles in media and entertainment, publishing, and digital marketing businesses. Formerly, Max held the position of co-founder at Talking Media Group (TMG), an information and media platform helping media and technology companies monetize digital content. Before TMG, Smith held executive positions where he led growth initiatives for Warner Music Group, LinkShare, TechRepublic, Gartner, and World Color Press. Mr. Smith earned an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BA in Economics from Trinity College.
Shri Singhvi (Panelist)
Senior Equity Analyst, Alliance Bernstein
Mr Singhvi is a Senior Equity Analyst at Alliance Bernstein where he is reposonsible for ~$1 Billion of investments in Technology and Financial companies. Prior to his current role, Shri was an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Co. where he worked with Fortune 500 Technology, Media, and Telecom clients. Early in his career, Shri also spent nearly six years in Silicon Valley working for leading technology companies like Applied Materials and i2. Shri has an MBA with High Honors from The University of Chicago Booth School Of Business, M.S. In Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, and a B.S. In Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
David Olk (Panelist)
COO and co-founder, ShopKeep
David is COO and co-founder of ShopKeep, a one of a kind cloud based full service integrated SaaS/tablet POS solution for retailers based in NYC. He was formerly Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for IAC which owns and operates a number of consumer facing new media brands including Match.com, Citysearch, evite, ServiceMagic, Ask.com, CollegeHumor, and formerly Ticketmaster. A native of Brooklyn, NY, David is a former board member of Kickstarter.com and began his career within PwC's Transaction Services team where he spent ten years leading M&A advisory initiatives for large strategic and private equity investors. He has an accounting degree from Tulane University and an MBA from Columbia.
Kate Davis (Panelist)
Business Development, Microsoft
Kate is in Business Development at Microsoft, where she is responsible for strategically driving technology investments from customers in the NY Metro District. Prior to this role, Kate was in Corporate Finance with Microsoft, where she managed $150M of annual spend and worked on funding IT initiatives including data center expansion, virtualization, and the creation of several hundred internal applications. Earlier in her career, Kate worked for four years in real estate development as Director of Finance and then Vice President, before earning her MBA at U. of Chicago Booth.