Tyabji
holds a B.S. (Electrical Engineering) from the College of Engineering
in Poona, India, and an M.S. (Electrical Engineering) from the
State University of New York at Buffalo. In addition, Tyabji holds
an MBA in international business from Syracuse University and
is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program.
Hatim A Tyabji was the chairman and CEO of Saraide, whose mission
is to drive the convergence of the Internet and wireless telecommunications.
Before joining Saraide, Tyabji was president and CEO of VeriFone,
Inc. from 1986 to 1998, and a member of the company's board of
directors. He also served as chairman from 1992 to 1998. Under
his leadership, VeriFone grew to US$600 million, and diversified
from offering point-of-sale payment automation in the U.S. to
providing comprehensive system solutions in 110 countries.
He evolved a management and work style at VeriFone that made the
company the best in its class. The fundamental ethos of the management
style at VeriFone was first and foremost to create a culture of
caring, urgency, and empowerment.
In spring 1997, Tyabji negotiated the merger of VeriFone with
Hewlett Packard, in a one-for-one stock transaction worth close
to $1.8 billion. Before his appointment at VeriFone, Tyabji spent
13 years in management positions at Sperry Corporation. He was
president of the Information Systems Products and Technologies
Group of the merged Sperry and Burroughs organizations, which
have since become Unisys Corporation.
When he decided to retire from VeriFone, he was not looking for
a new idea. He says, "It was my clear intent to stay happily
unemployed, and spend my time "smelling the roses". The reasons
for creating Saraide were two fold: I believed the time had come
for the convergence of the Internet and Wireless Telecommunications.
It was a brand new market with a $50-$60B potential. Interestingly
enough, the other thing that was very appealing to me was I had
never been involved telecommunication and knew very little about
it".
He doesn't worry about being acquired. Saraide was later sold
to Infospace.com. According to him, the best defense is a good
offense, which means focusing on building a strong company.
Tyabji serves on the board of directors of: Ariba, Best Buy, Deluxe
Corporation, PubliCARD, Inc., and Novatel Wireless. Tyabji also
serves on the Dean's Council at the State University of New York
(Buffalo), and is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Leavey
School of Business at Santa Clara University. He is also an active
member of The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE).
Ismail
Merchant entered the Hollywood scene as early as 1960. His very
first venture, The Creation of Woman, bagged a nomination for
the Academy Award.
It
is interesting to note how Merchant Ivory Productions came together.
On his way back from the Cannes Film Festival Merchant met James
Ivory. They struck a deal and two formed Merchant Ivory Productions.
Once
Merchant returned to India he set about producing movies. He handled
the production half MIP partnership and James Ivory handled the
direction. Columbia Pictures distributed their very first dual
effort, "TheHouseholder". This was followed by Shakespearewallah"
in 1966, "The Guru" in 1969 and "Bombay Talkie"
in 1970.
Merchant
also proved to be an able director. He directed "Mahatma
and the Mad Boy", and then came "The Courtesans of Bombay"
as a full length TV production for the BBC.
His
string of successful movies under the MIP banner includes "Cotton
Mary", "The Golden Bowl"
Today's
moviegoers have changed drastically as opposed to three decades
ago. Naturally, expectations change, so movie making has undergone
radical changes along the way. Merchant has adapted with time,
to appeal their contemporary moviegoers.
