thePlatform competitors

Frank Thomson "Tom" Leighton (born 1956) is the CEO of Akamai Technologies, the company he co-founded with Daniel Lewin in 1998. Akamai has become the top content delivery provider in the 21st century with the arrival of dedicated techs. As one of the world's preeminent authorities on algorithms for network applications and cybersecurity, Dr. Leighton discovered a solution to freeing up web congestion using applied mathematics and distributed computing.

Matt Krepsik is the Chief Technology Officer for Quotient, leading the company’s strategy and insights team, engineering, product management, business development and media strategy business and enabling advertisers and retailers to deliver high performing, data-driven marketing strategies fueled by powerful insights into consumer purchase behavior. Matt brings more than 15 years’ experience with data analysis. Most recently, he led attribution, media planning and activation products at Nielsen. Throughout his career, Matt has worked directly with clients across the sell side and buy side of the media ecosystem covering a broad set of industries and spanning a diverse set of markets. He leverages the power of big data and advanced analytics to help clients improve their efficiency and drive the effectiveness of their marketing dollars. Matt is a regular speaker at conferences, a commentator in the press and a guest lecturer at NYU on modern marketing. He studied at the London School of Economics and holds Economics Bachelors and Master’s degrees from Marshall and Miami University, respectively.

James Bidzos is president and chief executive officer of Verisign. He also serves as chairman of the board of directors and has been executive chairman since August 2009. As the founder of Verisign, Bidzos is an Internet and security industry pioneer whose accomplishments include building RSA Security into the early standard-bearer for authentication and encryption, and launching Verisign as a company in 1995 to develop the digital certificate infrastructure for Internet commerce. Before returning to the president and chief executive role in August 2011, Bidzos served as Verisign's first president and CEO and also served as Verisign's chairman of the board of directors from April 1995 until December 2001, as vice chairman from December 2001 to July 2007, and as interim CEO from July 2008 to August 2009. Bidzos served as president and CEO of RSA Security from 1986 to February 1999, and then served as RSA's vice chairman from 1999 to May 2002.

Robert A. Altman is the chairman and chief executive officer of [ZeniMax](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/zenimax#/entity),a media company that connects game developers, artists, designers, and programmers with one another. Prior to that, he held the same positions at [Bethesda Softworks](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/bethesda-softworks#/entity) and [FriendFinder Networks](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/friendfinder-networks#/entity).

Charles J. Meyers joined Equinix in 2010 as President, Equinix Americas, leading the company’s largest P&L through a time of significant growth and strong operating performance. Mr. Meyers then served as the Chief Operating Officer at Equinix, where he led the Global Sales, Marketing, Operations and Customer Success teams. For the past year, he was President, Strategy, Services and Innovation (SSI) leading Equinix’s strategic business teams including Corporate Strategy, Technology Innovation, and Product Management and Engineering. Under Mr. Meyers’ leadership, SSI worked to optimize the company’s position as a cloud enabler, identify key growth areas, and evolve our services portfolio in response to market, competitive and technology trends. Mr. Meyers has built a distinguished 25-year career in the high-tech industry. Before joining Equinix, Mr. Meyers served as Group President at Verisign where he led a P&L portfolio including the company’s Security, Communications and Mobile Messaging businesses. Prior to Verisign, Mr. Meyers held various executive positions at Level 3 Communications, including Group Vice President of Global Marketing, President of IP and Data Services, and Senior Vice President, Softswitch Services. During his tenure, Mr. Meyers helped Level 3 emerge as a premier global provider of Internet and VoIP services. Mr. Meyers also held senior operating roles at BellSouth, was a member of the pre-IPO executive team at Internet Security Systems and served as a Senior Associate with Booz-Allen & Hamilton Consulting. Mr. Meyers earned dual master’s degrees from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and McCormick Graduate School of Engineering. He also holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado.

Jeffrey 'Jeff' Dreben is a Board Member at GP Royalty Corp, Board Member at Dbl Cleantech Capital Corp, and Board Member at ECOVAL. He has worked as Board Member at Ontario Capital Opportunities, VP/Treasurer/Founder at Canadian Venture Founders Mgmt, and Board Member at BIOREM INC. Jeffrey attended Loyola University.

William Flickinger is a Founder, SoleStretch. LLC at SoleStretch, LLC; Owner at WJ Flickinger Consulting, LLC; and Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Bounce Innovation Hub and is based in Wadsworth, Ohio. He has worked as President at NasoNeb; Sr. Director, Marketing at Stereotaxis; and Executive in Residence at BioEnterprise Corporation. William attended UNIVERSITY OF AKRON between 1985 and 1987 and UNIVERSITY OF AKRON between 1981 and 1985.

s an Operating Partner, Harry is responsible for helping to support Element’s renewable power and advanced material investments. Harry currently serves on the board of directors for two of Element’s portfolio companies. Harry was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of BP Solar. Harry brings over 25 years of experience in the general management of high technology manufacturing companies. He has had P&L responsibility for more than 15 different manufacturing businesses in the fields of precision equipment, photovoltaics, engineered materials, optics, and aerospace. These businesses have ranged in size and scope from start-ups to $350 million international operations with multi-plant locations. He spent his early career at General Electric, where he advanced through managerial positions in marketing, manufacturing, and engineering, in both domestic and international locations. He left General Electric in 1989 as the Division General Manager of the High Temperature Materials Division, which produced fused quartz, refractory metals, and synthetic sapphire for the electronic, fiber optic, and lighting markets. Upon leaving GE, Harry began his career in venture capital. Mr. Shimp has successfully managed companies, as their president, in the fields of engineered ceramics, reinforced thermoplastic composites, precision optics, aerospace repair and overhaul, precision instruments and equipment and photovoltaics. In 1999, the Solarex photovoltaic company, with Harry as president, was wholly acquired by British Petroleum, plc. BP merged its own solar business with Solarex to create BP Solar. While Harry served as President and Chief Executive Officer of BP Solar for the next four years, BP Solar achieved revenues in excess of $300 million, and an annual growth rate of 25%, representing almost one-fifth of the worldwide photovoltaic market. At the same time, unit cost was reduced by 12% per year and revenue per employee climbed by 50%. BP Solar had six primary manufacturing locations in four countries – the U.S., Spain, Australia and India. Since leaving BP in early 2003, he has concentrated his efforts in the precision equipment and specialty materials markets. Harry serves on the board of directors of Petra Solar and Energex. Harry has been awarded four U.S. patents and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and Masters degrees in Engineering and Industrial Administration from Carnegie-Mellon University.