Michael Jackson

Michael joined Skype as COO and managed all the revenue generating aspects of the project from launch through sale to eBay and growth from zero revenue to 400 million in 3 years. He learnt the tricks of the trade within the Tele2 group of companies, responsible for launch and build up of 9 mobile businesses across Europe, plus ISP, callback and calling card operations. Michael is credited with the creation of the business model known as 'MVNO'

His first business was the first company in Europe with an Interconnect agreement, bringing radio-paging competition to the market back in 1986, again featuring initiatives that worked on the edges of the existing framework.

To bring any of these businesses to life in the telecoms world requires knowledge of the industry, the politics and the economics – as well as reading the technical trends. At this conference, he will walk us through some of the lessons he has taken, and try to predict where future opportunities may lie - and maybe where they don't.

Michael is a Partner at Mangrove Capital Partners in Luxembourg, a leading early stage VC. Here he brings his experience to new and existing portfolio companies, so they can grow to be as large as Tele2 or Skype.