Investing Channel, Connecting marketers to financial minds

InvestingChannel has assembled a uniquely qualified team with over 40 years of experience in the financial industry.  We offer our clients the most comprehensive and profitable solutions with the highest quality service by combining this deep industry knowledge with our extensive online media expertise.

Our founding team has particular insight into the needs and problems of financial publishers and advertisers.  Prior to the formation of InvestingChannel, the founders started a consulting services company which helped financial media clients maximize return and mitigate risk.  Combining their many years of experience with online businesses and working closely with these clients on everything from business strategy to execution, InvestingChannel’s team knows what is required to build a successful financial media property.   The founders created InvestingChannel to address these issues and to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity in the online financial vertical. 

While Bob is involved in all aspects of the business, he is principally responsible for advertising sales and operations.  Prior to founding the consulting firm, Giant Step Strategies, and InvestingChannel, Bob led TheStreet.com’s four revenue divisions including Advertising Sales, Product Sales/Marketing, Business Development and Product Development driving 200% revenue growth in less than 3 years. Prior to TheStreet, Bob joined the founding team at Beliefnet and built and managed the company’s ad revenue business. In the late 90’s, Bob headed up iVillage’s revenue initiatives including the Advertising and Business Development team of 80 employees responsible for growing revenue to over $75 million in annualized sales.  Bob started his career in the electronic and online world when he built, co-launched and managed the successful Wizcom division of Avis which leveraged Avis’ customer database in an early application of electronic database marketing.  He then moved on and lead Reed Elsevier’s Electronic Publishing initiatives in the travel division creating cutting edge electronic and online initiatives.

Although Nikesh deals with all areas of the business, his primary focus is on product strategy and development, publisher acquisition and operations.  Prior to building Giant Step Strategies and InvestingChannel, Nikesh served as the Vice President of Business Development at TheStreet.com where he implemented strategic initiatives and new technologies, including partnerships, contextual advertising, co-registration, customer acquisition/lead generation and many other programs to increase revenue, drive traffic and enhance site performance.  Nikesh was one of the original members of PeoplePC’s business development team and was instrumental during its IPO process and sale to EarthLink.  He focused on product development, sales, strategic partnerships and acquisition activities.  Nikesh started his career an investment banker and Financial Analyst with Robertson Stephens involved in public offerings and mergers & acquisitions aggregating over $1 billion with Internet and software companies.

Jay is involved with business development, finance and operations.  Before InvestingChannel, as a consultant with Giant Step Strategies, Jay helped Internet entrepreneurs write business plans, forge strategic partnerships, improve business strategy, raise capital and negotiate mergers and acquisitions.  Prior to GSS, he was a partner at Hambrecht & Quist, a technology-focused investment bank later acquired by JP Morgan Chase.  At H&Q he helped found and grow the company’s Internet industry group and Mergers & Acquisitions practice and specifically focused upon the online advertising space in his last few years.  From raising capital through private placements and public offerings to providing strategic and mergers & acquisitions advice, he has helped shape the web from a financial and advisory role.  Working on transactions ranging from $10 million to over $2 billion, he worked with such clients as Adforce, Cerfnet, Infospace, Intraware, mp3.com, LoudEye, Netcentives, Netscape, Quote.com, UUnet and Verity.  Prior to his seven years with H&Q, he worked in the technology and biotechnology industries for the merger and acquisition specialist, Wasserstein Perella.

Chris spearheads the lead acquisition (co-registration) division of InvestingChannel.  In this role Chris primarily focuses on securing new advertiser relationships, sales team development and overall advertiser and platform performance.  Chris was formerly the Executive Client Service Director for RedSail Interactive, a premier lead generation company based in Norwalk, CT.   At RedSail, Chris lead the East Coast Sales team, with responsibilities including everything from account management and growth to mergers and acquisitions to brand development and strategic partnerships.   Prior to joining RedSail, Chris was an Account Executive with one of Omnicom’s advertising / promotions agencies, TracyLocke.

Tom is one of InvestingChannel’s most senior sales managers and is focused on  display and database advertising sales.  Prior to joining InvestingChannel, Tom was Vice President of Market Development at Schaeffer’s Investment Research where he held the primary leadership role in all aspects of business development, advertising sales, content distribution and third party revenue generation.  During his 10 year tenure, he established, developed and managed the company’s ad model from the ground up growing it into a multi million dollar business with a 50% annual growth rate.  Tom also targeted and cultivated key alliances and partnerships with companies like Forbes, E*Trade, OptionsXpress, and Zacks.  In addition, he was a key contributor to lead generation initiatives, direct marketing strategies and website redesign and acted as the firm’s direct contact for financial media and public relations.

Before joining InvestingChannel, Chad practiced law for five years as a corporate attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.  While at Skadden, Arps, Chad provided corporate governance advice and represented Fortune 500 companies in a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and financings.  In 2006, Chad joined Banc of America Securities as an investment banker where he provided sector coverage for the Global Industries group.  While at Banc of America, Chad represented private equity firms and strategic buyers in connection with potential acquisitions and strategic financing alternatives.

Jordan has over 10 years of experience working with online ad serving technologies and his main focus is on the successful delivery and optimization of all of our advertising campaigns to ensure clients receive the best possible ROI. Three of those years were spent working as Director of Business Operations for About.com, the 6th largest Internet property at the time with over half a billion advertising impressions served monthly. Most recently he was VP of Ad Operations at the TheStreet.com for over 6 years. He has served as a frequent beta tester for new emerging ad technologies and has extensive experience with a wide variety of ad serving tools and technologies including Doubleclick DFP and DFA, Atlas, Unicast, Pointroll, Checkm8, Ultramercial, Eyewonder, Eyeblaster, Shoshkeles, Bluestreak and Open Adstream.