Visionaries: The Most Illuminating People In the Internet Economy
10:55 AM EST Mon. Nov. 13, 2000
"I need an elevator pitch," said one frustrated salesman. But marchFIRST executives had none. They, too, were at a loss. They needed a compelling vision.
Today, scores of industry companies, both old and new, find themselves in the same position. The reason: Shifting market conditions have blurred their original visions. For example, after a remarkable run-up, Razorfish CEO Jeff Dachis fell to earth this summer when financial realities forced him to take some very unvisionary actions, including layoffs.
|
The Visionaries:
|
As the new economy gives way to the next one, thought leaders are valued as never before. "The success of an organization rests heavily upon [the CEO's] abilities to execute his strategic vision, both in times of calm and of crisis," according to a recent report by Patrick Pittard, president and CEO of management recruiter Heidrick & Struggles. We agree.
After an exhaustive search, we identified 20 individuals whose companies, products or innovations are visionary. Take Palm CEO Carl Yankowski. Although he oversees one of the fastest-growing companies in technology, he's changing Palm's focus. "I think I am most proud of the transition,which is a work in progress,we've made from being a device company to a wireless communications, content and access company," he says.
If Yankowski qualifies as a Visionary for his daring resolve, then Blue Martini CEO Monte Zweben qualifies for his exquisite timing. He provided a personalization solution in advance of the B2C craze before moving on to the B2B market.
While some Visionaries see things anew, others just see them differently. K.B. Chandrasekhar, for example, had the foresight to create hosting giant Exodus before most people ever logged onto the Internet. His latest company, Jamcracker, is among the first to offer a complete set of IT applications over the Web. Raj Koneru, CEO at SeraNova, thinks he's come up with a different way to service customers. Instead of dispatching programmers to customer sites, he's dispatching work to programmers in India. If successful, he'll undercut competitors' prices and beat them in delivery.
Visionaries, of course, can come from anywhere. Several on this year's list have ties to Harvard or Stanford. That includes Blue Martini's Zweben, Virage CEO Paul Lego and Ventro CEO Dave Perry. Sun CEO Scott McNealy has ties to both. Certainly their ages differ. This year, we recognize 19-year-old Napster creator Shawn Fanning and 40-year GE veteran and CEO Jack Welch. But not everyone on this list is a CEO. Oracle executive vice president Charles Rozwat qualifies because he's consistently delivered some of the world's most ambitious server packages on a most aggressive delivery schedule for a most challenging boss: CEO Larry Ellison.
Some of this year's Visionaries serve as inspiration to others. USinternetworking CEO Andrew Stern, for example, says he's found inspiration in the work of author and fellow VARBusiness Visionary Geoffrey Moore.
Perhaps more than any other executive, Moore epitomizes an innovator with vision, which Webster's defines as "something seen otherwise than by ordinary sight." More than a mere dreamer or seer, Moore has distilled complex market fundamentals into basic elements. For a complete look at the Visionaries who matter most, see below:
E.B. Flanagan and Al Senia contributed to the following profiles.
Blazer is positioning KMPG Consulting as a world leader in e-business expertise for enterprise brick-and-mortar giants.
With Jamcracker, "Chandra" is creating a new way for customers to get virutally an IT product or service they desire.
As a Northeastern undergrad, Fanning saw an easier way to enjoy music. Entire industries rocked when he was done.
After failing to make Sybase a database leader, Hoffman redoubled his efforts. Now CommerceOne is a world leader.
By shifting work to India, Koneru's SeraNova threatens to alter the competitive landscape in Web services.
Lego thinks his company, Virage, could be the Vignette of video. A growing list of partners who use his platform agree.
The sharpest shooting, aim-from-the-hip CEO in business has made Sun the most innovative company in IT.
The author of Crossing the Chasm and other works, Moore has literally spelled out the Internet economy for millions.
While communications veterans wrestle with the future, Nacchio's Qwest is gambling that an upstart can define it.
As head of Omnicom's Communicade group, Neumann has helped create great creative and technology companies
By helping a respected company in the old economy, Nordstrom is taking a leadership position in the new one.
As Ventro CEO, Perry shaped early online markets. Now, as a marpetplace service provider, he'll help others build them.
Some of the Web's most powerful software for e-business is Rozwat's responsibility. He's one reason Oracle leads.
He turned filmmakers onto the power of the Web. And when he did, Salmi redefined independent film.
Schuler is responsible for the crown jewels at AOL. His vision for the future has rivals running scared.
Web hosting is not the most glamorous business, but it does have its stars. Schull's Digex is one of its brightest.
With a broad portfolio and a tight customer focus, Stern's USinternetworking is the ASP that others want to be.
His legacy was assured long before the Internet mattered. Now that it does, Welch won't rest until GE is a leader.
Without Yankowski, Palm would be a good device company. With him, it could be the wireless solutions leader.
His company, Blue Martini, wrote the book on understanding customers. Now it's writing a new chapter for businesses.
Endian UTM offers Free Centralized Management Endian offers its partners a powerful network security tool that allows VARs to wrap a managed service around! With a free Ce...
