Steve Vaile - Founder & CEO - Having worked in senior management positions with technology companies leading them from start up to liquidity event Steve Vaile has a strong background in telecommunications and Technology.  He has held positions ranging from VP APAC and EMEA to CEO and been instrumental in the start up and exit of a number of leading software companies including Riversoft IPO 140 M, Systems Management Arts – Acquired by EMC 260M, He was most recently VP of APAC and EMEA for US Telecommunication Software Company Voyence acquired by EMC.  He serves as the CEO of H2O New Media the leading provider of customised social media platforms to enterprise customers in the Middle East. The company has grown from zero to 40 customers within 6 months and is one of the fastest growing technology companies in the Middle East.  He has provided public lectures on the convergence of telecommunications and social media in ten countries to audiences including government departments, media think tanks and global PR conferences and writes for a number of publications on social media. 

 

Dawan Stanford, J.D., Ph.D. - Legal and Business Advisor - Dawan has shaped legal and business transactions for technology companies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.  At Morrison & Forester, a law firm with a global presence, Dawan worked in California's Silicon Valley assisting companies ranging from start-up to mature.  After Morrison & Forester, Dawan became an in-house lawyer with Symantec Corporation, initially in Symantec's US headquarters and then in a legal role in France covering Europe, the Middle East, and several African countries.  In these positions, he assisted technology companies with contract issues, negotiations, agreements dealing with financings, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, outsourcing, software and hardware sales, purchasing, joint ventures, consulting, marketing, and business development.  Dawan is also an author, teacher, and communication consultant.