News

News

2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Fidelity Ventures Strengthens European Office with New Venture Partner Hewlett-Packard Veteran Expands Technology Expertise for the Firm December 7, 2006 Fidelity Ventures, which invests in technology companies as they prepare their "go-to-market" strategies, today announced that Karen Slatford has joined the firm as a venture partner in its London office. Fidelity Ventures now has a team of 17 investment professionals in Boston and London, and currently manages more than $800 million in venture capital. Slatford is a former vice president and general manager in charge of business-to-business (B2B) worldwide sales and marketing for Hewlett-Packard. She has more than 18 years of management experience in the European technology industry. In addition to working closely with the Fidelity Ventures team in London and the United States to evaluate and initiate new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector, Slatford also will play an active role in helping the firm’s existing portfolio companies establish and evolve their strategic business and marketing plans. "Karen has proven herself as a skilled builder of companies, overseeing such challenges as reinventing Hewlett-Packard’s global sales force," said Simon Clark, Fidelity Ventures’ London-based partner. "Karen’s broad management experience in the technology sector adds a unique dimension to what we bring to our portfolio companies. We are excited about working with her to not only identify new investment opportunities, but also to help our existing portfolio companies strengthen their market leadership positions." Prior to joining Fidelity Ventures, Slatford held a variety of senior management positions in the technology industry. In the last five years, she has operated in a number of interim CEO roles in venture-backed businesses in the software industry. Prior to these roles, Slatford spent 18 years at Hewlett-Packard in a variety of roles, including vice president and general manager of worldwide sales and marketing for the business customer organization. In this role, she was responsible for sales of all Hewlett-Packard’s products, services and software to business customers worldwide, and led the reinvention of the sales force from a product-based to customer-centered focus, integrating the high volume channel sales force with the high-value enterprise business. Slatford has held a number of directorships, including: chairman of HAL Knowledge Solutions, an Italian-headquartered software company; non-executive director of Compel PLS, a hardware reseller and Oracle solutions provider; chairman of Portwise AB, a Swedish security software company; non-executive director of Vianetworks Inc., a Nasdaq-listed ISP; and the Listening Company, a firm that is backed by Esprit CP and focused on the outsourced call center market. Slatford received a Bachelor of Arts degree in European Studies with honors and joint majors in French and Spanish. Fidelity Ventures’ active European portfolio companies include: BridgeCo, Unipier, Qumas, Neverfail and Curam Software. Investments in these companies reflect not only Fidelity Ventures’ global approach, but also its strategic focus on multiple industries such as wireless, enterprise software, and consumer semiconductor. About Fidelity Ventures Fidelity Ventures invests in technology companies at the "Go-To-Market" stage. Its 40-year track record includes hundreds of successful investments in the consumer, communications, systems and software markets. Fidelity Ventures is distinguished by the ability to accelerate market adoption for its portfolio companies’ offerings, and by a global network of senior technology and business executives. Fidelity Ventures actively manages over $800 million from offices in Boston and London. Sister fund Fidelity Asia Ventures manages over $220 million from Shanghai and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.fidelityventures.com.	Download Press Release

Fidelity Ventures Strengthens European Office with New Venture Partner

Hewlett-Packard Veteran Expands Technology Expertise for the Firm

December 7, 2006

Fidelity Ventures, which invests in technology companies as they prepare their "go-to-market" strategies, today announced that Karen Slatford has joined the firm as a venture partner in its London office. Fidelity Ventures now has a team of 17 investment professionals in Boston and London, and currently manages more than $800 million in venture capital.

Slatford is a former vice president and general manager in charge of business-to-business (B2B) worldwide sales and marketing for Hewlett-Packard. She has more than 18 years of management experience in the European technology industry.

In addition to working closely with the Fidelity Ventures team in London and the United States to evaluate and initiate new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector, Slatford also will play an active role in helping the firm’s existing portfolio companies establish and evolve their strategic business and marketing plans.

"Karen has proven herself as a skilled builder of companies, overseeing such challenges as reinventing Hewlett-Packard’s global sales force," said Simon Clark, Fidelity Ventures’ London-based partner. "Karen’s broad management experience in the technology sector adds a unique dimension to what we bring to our portfolio companies. We are excited about working with her to not only identify new investment opportunities, but also to help our existing portfolio companies strengthen their market leadership positions."

Prior to joining Fidelity Ventures, Slatford held a variety of senior management positions in the technology industry. In the last five years, she has operated in a number of interim CEO roles in venture-backed businesses in the software industry. Prior to these roles, Slatford spent 18 years at Hewlett-Packard in a variety of roles, including vice president and general manager of worldwide sales and marketing for the business customer organization. In this role, she was responsible for sales of all Hewlett-Packard’s products, services and software to business customers worldwide, and led the reinvention of the sales force from a product-based to customer-centered focus, integrating the high volume channel sales force with the high-value enterprise business.

Slatford has held a number of directorships, including: chairman of HAL Knowledge Solutions, an Italian-headquartered software company; non-executive director of Compel PLS, a hardware reseller and Oracle solutions provider; chairman of Portwise AB, a Swedish security software company; non-executive director of Vianetworks Inc., a Nasdaq-listed ISP; and the Listening Company, a firm that is backed by Esprit CP and focused on the outsourced call center market. Slatford received a Bachelor of Arts degree in European Studies with honors and joint majors in French and Spanish.

Fidelity Ventures’ active European portfolio companies include: BridgeCo, Unipier, Qumas, Neverfail and Curam Software. Investments in these companies reflect not only Fidelity Ventures’ global approach, but also its strategic focus on multiple industries such as wireless, enterprise software, and consumer semiconductor.

About Fidelity Ventures

Fidelity Ventures invests in technology companies at the "Go-To-Market" stage. Its 40-year track record includes hundreds of successful investments in the consumer, communications, systems and software markets. Fidelity Ventures is distinguished by the ability to accelerate market adoption for its portfolio companies’ offerings, and by a global network of senior technology and business executives. Fidelity Ventures actively manages over $800 million from offices in Boston and London. Sister fund Fidelity Asia Ventures manages over $220 million from Shanghai and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.fidelityventures.com.

Download Press Release