Bob Davis

Bob Davis became the first employee of Lycos Inc. in June of 1995 and served as its only president and chief executive officer until its $6 billion merger into Terra Networks in 2000. After the merger, Mr. Davis served as the CEO of Terra Lycos until leaving in March 2001 to join Highland Capital Partners. During his tenure at Lycos he completed the fastest IPO in NASDAQ history and through a string of joint ventures and over two dozen acquisitions or investments, transformed the company from an internet search engine with just $2 million in funding into one of the most powerful Internet hubs and media companies worldwide. Under his leadership, the company developed the Lycos Network, a pioneering Web media model that delivers mass reach and programming to over 100 million consumers in an industry leading 41 countries.

Mr. Davis is a frequent motivational lecturer on both general business and technology having addressed numerous groups including the US Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations, and the United States Congress. He served as a member of President Bush's technology advisory committee and has advised former President Clinton on matters relating to Internet regulation. He is also the best-selling author of Speed is Life, in which he shares his war stories from the Internet trenches and provides readers with insights and strategies critical to the success of every business.

Bob holds a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, from Northeastern University, an MBA with high distinction from Babson College and honorary doctorate degrees from both Bentley College and Northeastern University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for numerous organizations, including Terra Lycos, Ticketmaster, Lycos Europe, Navic Corporation, Performix Technologies, The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, The Massachusetts Software Council, and Boston Children’s Hospital Trust.

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Speed Is Life

Bob Davis discusses how quickly companies must act in order to seize new opportunities; explains why size is so important in a global economy; and highlights the critical importance of creating and extending a company’s brand. The lessons he reveals are not narrowly drawn from or intended for Internet managers alone. The fact is, business – whatever business you are in – is first and foremost about making a profit, something he was able to do even in his earliest days at Lycos. The way to do that, from Davis’ perspective, is to be great at what you do, to make every moment with a customer the moment of truth, and to build a leading organization by attracting and hiring a world-class team.