Bob Davis (businessman)

Bob Davis

Bob Davis,2014
Born Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality American
Alma mater Northeastern University (B.S. Business Administration '79, M.B.A. Babson College '85)
Occupation General Partner, Highland Capital Partners

Bob Davis is an American businessman and CEO of Lycos (Nasdaq: LCOS), one of the internet's first search engines and most visited web sites in the world[1] until the company's $12.5B acquisition by Telefónica subsidiary Terra Networks in 2000.[2] Prior to the acquisition, he served as the company's only President and CEO since its inception in 1995 and with just $2M in venture capital funding led Lycos to the fastest IPO in history in 1996[3] and then to membership in the Nasdaq 100. Lycos became one of the first profitable internet businesses in the world, beating earnings estimates for 19 consecutive quarters.[4] As Lycos CEO, he led the company to acquire more than a dozen online companies,[5] including early web success stories such as: Wired.com, HotBot, Tripod, WhoWhere, Quote.com, and Matchmaker.[6] After the Telefónica acquisition, he then served as the CEO of Terra Lycos, the combined business formed through the merger. Terra Lycos, whose market capitalization exceeded $30B[7] would eventually reach 100 million users and have operations in 37 countries.[8]

Life and education

Davis was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1956. The youngest of four, he lost his mother when he was 13 and his father when he was 20 years old. He attended Northeastern University from 1974-1979, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.[9] He went on to earn an M.B.A. from Babson College in 1985. He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Commercial Sciences from Bentley College,[10] and an Honorary Doctorate from Northeastern University[11] in 2000.Davis was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs.[12]

Career

Davis is the author of "Speed is Life: Street Smart Lessons from the Front Lines of Business (Currency)". The book focused on practical advice for operating a company.[13] All proceeds from the book were donated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a non-profit organization that Lycos had adopted believing its search technology would be helpful to the Center's cause.

In 2001, Davis left Terra Lycos to join the venture capital firm, Highland Capital Partners. He has served on the boards of John Hancock Financial (JHFS), Ticketmaster (TCMS), Terra Lycos (TRLY), Lycos (LCOS), Fastlick (FSTC), and Lycos Europe (LCY), as well as Children's Hospital Boston, and the Rivers School.[14]

Davis has been interviewed or quoted on market and company building and his thoughts have been published in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg TV, The Boston Globe, USA Today, Fox Business, Forbes, Fortune, and The Economist. He also advised The National Press Club[15] on matters relating to internet commerce and regulation.

References

  1. ↑ "Lycos Fetches $36 Million". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-08-17.
  2. ↑ "Lycos to Combine With Terra Networks in a $12 Billion Deal". New York Times. 2000-05-16.
  3. ↑ "The Ultimate Guide to Internet Deals". Fast Company. 1999-05-01.
  4. ↑ "Face Time: Ahem, Bob Davis Was Right". Time Magazine. 2001-05-28.
  5. ↑ "Bob Davis, Lycos' Savior". Forbes. 2000-03-30.
  6. ↑ "Lycos Acquires Wired Digital". Wired. 1998-10-06.
  7. ↑ "Portal Plays". The Economist. 2000-05-18.
  8. ↑ "The mogul next door". The Economist. 2000-10-26.
  9. ↑ "Life in the Fast Lane". Northeastern Magazine 26 (1). September 2000.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Senator John Kerry and Fleet Financial Group Chair Terrence Murray to Speak at Bentley College Commencements". Bentley College issued Press Release. 1999-03-29.
  11. ↑ "Commencement Speakers & Honorary Degrees". Northeastern University: University Libraries.
  12. ↑ "The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship Inductees". Babson College.
  13. ↑ "The Best books of 2001: The latest crop of must-read technology-related business theories". NetworkWorld. 2001-11-12.
  14. ↑ "Rivers' Search Committee". Rivers web site.
  15. ↑ "Technology and Global Democratization". C-Span. 2000-07-19.
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