Regis McKenna

Regis McKenna is chairman of a management and marketing consulting firm specializing in the application of information and telecommunications technologies to business strategies. His firm is highly focused on the integration of emerging technologies into marketable strategies. McKenna, whose professional experience spans several decades, is renowned for launching significant technological innovations such as the first microprocessor (Intel Corporation) and the first personal computer (Apple Computer). His contributions also include the first recombinant DNA genetically engineered product (Genentech, Inc.) and the first retail computer store (The Byte Shop). His marketing initiatives have catalyzed the introduction of numerous other technological breakthroughs including the first commercial laser for retail systems and the first desktop publishing systems.

Throughout his career, McKenna has played a pivotal role in advising numerous start-ups during their formative years, a list that includes prominent companies like America On Line, Apple, and Microsoft. Over the past decade, his consultancy has extended to major technology-based firms across the United States, Japan, and Europe. McKenna actively continues to engage with high-tech start-up companies through his venture activities, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to innovation and enterprise growth.

McKenna's insights into marketing and technological trends have been shared in several books, notably "The Regis Touch", which has been translated into nine languages and discusses his marketing theories. His subsequent publications, such as "Who's Afraid of Big Blue?" and "Relationship Marketing" have addressed competitive strategies and the importance of interactive relationships in business, respectively. His latest work, "Real Time: Preparing For The Age of the Never Satisfied Customer" was published by Harvard Business School Press, reflecting his forward-thinking on customer relations in the modern market.

Beyond his professional ventures, McKenna contributes his expertise to various educational and philanthropic organizations. He is a trustee at Santa Clara University and serves as President of the Board of Trustees for The New Children's Shelter of Santa Clara County. Additionally, he holds a venture partner position at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and is a sought-after speaker on topics related to technology marketing and competitiveness throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, McKenna attended Saint Vincent College and Duquesne University before moving to Silicon Valley in 1962. His early career included pivotal roles at General Micro Electronics and National Semiconductor before he founded his marketing strategy firm in 1970. Today, The McKenna Group, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, continues to provide invaluable marketing and management consulting services globally, marking over 27 years of sustained industry leadership and innovation.