Boards and HR
Mark Lonergan, September 23rd, 2011
I have personally attended hundreds of public company board meetings as a search consultant. Ironically, I am usually invited to discuss key hires the company is making in its senior management ranks. My purpose is to advise the board on the market, on the project(s) underway and on such issues as succession planning and even organizational
How HP Lost Its Way
Mark Lonergan, August 31st, 2011
The sun will (mostly) shine, new companies will emerge – and Hewlett Packard will continue to lead in the Valley from both an innovation and a cultural standpoint. The seventy year-old company has spawned many of the leaders and innovators who inspire our Valley, people who continue to lead the global technology markets.
Until now, that
Stars & Teams
Mark Lonergan, August 8th, 2011
I recently met with a former placement of mine at one of the hottest pre-IPO companies in the Silicon Valley. This placement, whom I’ll call Andy, made it clear he loves his new company and enjoys being part of its leadership team.
At breakfast, I probed to learn how well we had prepared him for his new position, how thoughtful and
A Silicon Valley Homer
Mark Lonergan, July 30th, 2011
Just last week, the newest MoneyTree Report was released by PWC and the National Venture Capital Association. As predicted, the report shows a remarkable quarterly increase in spending by venture capitalists. In all, $9.2 billion was invested in 966 companies, a 20% increase over the first quarter of 2011 and a 60% increase over venture funding
Closing the Barn Door
Mark Lonergan, July 12th, 2011
I was recently asked by the Board of a large public technology company to discuss that company’s succession plan, a process that started with the current CEO out of the room. The company had received a real shock four months earlier, when their CEO was nearly lured away to a larger competitor, a move they stopped with a counter-offer and a new