Moving on up: Appointment at LinkedIn

- What is LinkedIn's unique selling point?

Our USP is simple: we are totally focused on the professional community
and on helping professional people extract maximum value from their
business networks. We have more than 18 million professionals globally,
with more than one million in the UK.

- What are your key responsibilities in the new role?

It involves building a strong team here and leading the strategic
planning and execution for LinkedIn in Europe. I'll be overseeing
marketing, PR, commercial sales and business development, and partner
relations, all with the goal of building the brand throughout Europe and
engaging with LinkedIn's users from a wide variety of industry
segments.

- How has your background prepared you for this role?

I spent ten years with Compaq Computers, followed by nine years working
in internet companies. I've spent eight years running the European
operations for US organisations and this is the second time I have
started from a position of being the first employee. I have lived
through the bubble and the re-growth and transitioned from engineering
and product roles to the business side, so my background has prepared me
well.

- What is your first major challenge?

Getting a strong team in place quickly while developing a strategy that
will deliver growth across at least ten major European markets is
probably the first major challenge.

- What is your 12-month plan for LinkedIn?

We have very ambitious plans for LinkedIn in 2008. Building the business
commercially and greatly increasing the user base throughout Europe are
core objectives. As LinkedIn adds such value to the way professionals
get their work done, clearly communicating the brand, values, and
product benefits throughout Europe is a key element of the plan.