Management team biographies
Nancy Cruickshank – Global CEO
Dan Thompson – Chairman
David Tabizel – Founder
Rupert Ashe – CFO
Hans Stocker – Chief Technical Officer
Danny Kelly – Creative Director
Paul Lapointe – CEO, VideoJug America
Commercial Team
Production Team
Marketing Team
Nancy Cruickshank – brings a wealth of relevant experience to VideoJug. As Managing Director of Hearst Digital, she oversaw their portfolio of well known web properties including Handbag.com, cosmopolitan.co.uk, goodhousekeeping.co.uk, netdoctor.co.uk and menshealth.co.uk. Prior to Hearst, Nancy was Managing Director of the Handbag Group, successfully building it under the ownership of Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay prior to a £22m sale to The National Magazine Company in late 2006. Additional media experience includes director level roles at Sky.tv and Condé Nast Online. She also founded the successful property website Smove in the 1990s, which she subsequently sold to Norwich Union in 2000.
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Dan Thompson – is a successful entrepreneur who has started and developed a number of media businesses including Renegade (computer games publisher sold to Time Warner) and 365 Corporation PLC, taken from start up to flotation in 2 years, achieving a peak stock market valuation of approximately $1 billion. Dan has also been a non-executive director and senior adviser to a number of companies in the media, technology and leisure sectors including Gamesys Ltd (owners of Jackpotjoy.com the UK's leading online bingo and instant win operator); World's End Television (Johnny Vaughan's production company) and Glassworks Ltd (multi award winning television post-production company).
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David Tabizel – has been active for many years as an analyst and a founder and developer of businesses in the finance, media and technology sectors. He is credited with writing one of the first published reports on the Internet (1994). Companies either jointly started and/or developed by David include Durlacher Corporation, an investment bank that achieved a market capitalisation in excess of $3 billion, 365 Corporation plc (see above), Autonomy Corporation (a global leader in knowledge management technology which was peak valued in excess of $7 billion), Demon Internet (The UK’s first leading consumer ISP - sold to Thus for $100 million), Rage Software PLC (a computer games company that achieved a peak stock market value of approximately $300 million) and others. David lives and works in Spain and is jointly responsible for Videojug's international strategy in Europe and the US.
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Rupert Ashe – is a chartered accountant who created Focus Communications which he subsequently sold to Grey Advertising. In 2002, he helped to establish the UK & Eire operations of Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the NYSE-listed entertainment retailer. During his career, he has advised on over 50 fundraisings, flotations and M&As.
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Hans Stocker – has a long track record of creating and managing high volume mission critical IT systems. Major achievements have included creating and running of Durlacher's online stock broking service Nothing-Ventured.com and the creation of the DLJDirect.co.uk online stock broking service.
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Danny Kelly – is a nationally renowned writer, broadcaster and media figure (having successfully operated in magazines, newspapers, radio, TV and the Internet), as well as a successful businessman. Danny has edited high profile magazines such as Q and the New Musical Express. In 1996 he was UK Magazine Editor Of The Year. He is a regular on TV and has hosted long-running Channel 4 sports show The Greatest and Under The Moon. On radio, he has been a regular on both Radio 1 and 5Live. In 1999 his Soundbite programme won a Sony Award for Best Music Show; his current thrice-weekly BBC sports programme this year won a Sony Award. He also has a high profile column in The Times and reviews books for The Observer. In the late Nineties Danny helped set up 365 corporation, one of the pioneering UK content providers on the Internet. As Publishing Director, he oversaw the invention, launch and development of sites like Football365 and Planet Rugby; these websites are still among the market-leaders. Danny is Creative Director of VideoJug.
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Paul Lapointe – prior to joining VideoJug America Inc, Paul Lapointe was employed with Vin Di Bona Productions for ten years, the last seven in the position of Chief Financial Officer. In this position he oversaw all financial and administrative matters working closely with all television production teams and departments within the company.
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Commercial Team
UK
Steve Filler – Head of Commercial Operations, UK started his media sales career at IPC Magazines, where he spent five years working in the Music and Sport Group on magazines such as Loaded, NME and Shoot. He moved to Guardian Unlimited in 2000 where he was the Advertising and Sponsorship Manager responsible for all sales revenue. At the end of 2006 Steven's team were recognised as the Digital Sales Team of the Year at both the AOP Awards and Campaign Media Awards.
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US
Lisa Carrieri – Senior Director, VideoJug America began her online career in 1997. As the creative mind behind Yahoo! Shopping, she built the property from the ground up and was responsible for the P/L and all Ecommerce revenues totaling $5M during the property’s first year. After Yahoo!, Lisa joined IAC where she managed and grew Citysearch.com’s media business from $5M to $15M. Lisa was an integral part in bringing the company to profitability. She was nominated as Citysearch Employee of the Year 2005.
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Production Team
UK
Sophie Theunissen –
Executive Producer has worked in television production since 1993,
when she started at BBC Features in Bristol. She moved to London the year after and has worked
for Independent Production companies ever since, on a range of programmes from historical
re-enactments to cookery shows. She's responsible for the team that makes VideoJug titles in London, as well as looking at how VideoJug content should be generated in the future.
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US
Ross Kaiman – Senior Vice President of Production has been writing, producing and directing television since
graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. From game shows to celebrity talk shows, and reality television to live morning telecasts, Ross has travelled the world creating programming that entertains and educates. He was writer/director of TLC's Emmy-nominated series Junkyard Wars (aka Scrapheap Challenge), and has produced and scored two independent films. He's responsible for the team that makes VideoJug titles in the United States, as well as looking at how VideoJug content should be generated in the future.
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Marketing Team
UK
Charlie Peachey – Head of Marketing started her career at FT.com then moved on to BT, heading the consumer interactive communication team for three years. She worked on all BT's major consumer and brand campaigns including the launch of broadband into the UK market. She then spent some time developing new ventures, before taking up her final role at BT as Senior Marketing Manager for BT Vision. Charlie is responsible for creating and delivering the UK Marketing Strategy for the VideoJug launch and beyond.
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US
Doug Kamin – Senior Vice President, Marketing has been working in online marketing and editorial for the past ten years, focusing on everything from entertainment to non-profit. Prior to joining VideoJug, he was Vice President of Content for the largest independent music website, ARTISTdirect.com.
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