Rating: Builds businesses as well as insider Google knowledge
We’re not sure whether Vodafone wants him for his expertise in building businesses or whether they want someone with a clear insight into the search sector. However, Vodafone has appointed Google’s 11th employee, Omid Kordestani, as a non-executive director. Kordestani has held positions in mobile orientated companies before but in ten years, he led Google’s business operations from its inception to a business generating over $20 billion in revenues with over 12,000 employees. No small feat.
Of course, Omid has recently ‘transitioned’ from his operational role at Google to become a senior advisor to the office of CEO/Founders at Google.
So that means he’ll still have inside knowledge about the company which makes the cellular industry’s most prominent mobile OS.
Omid Kordestani started his career at HP as a product marketing manager, followed by senior roles in the Silicon Valley including a spell at GO Corporation which produced the PenPoint mobile OS.
Before Google, as vp for business development, in 18 months he grew Netscape’s website revenue from an annual run-rate of $88 million to more than $200 million.
“”Omid has an outstanding track record as a commercial leader and innovator in the technology sector,” commented Gerard Kleisterlee, Vodafone Group Chairman.
Of course, according to Forbes magazine, Kordestani is one of the world’s [dollar] billionaires. The publication also reckoned he was the 12th to join Google not 11th.
