be2

Dr. Robert Wuttke, Founder of be2

Dr. Robert Wuttke is an internationally renowned expert in the Internet business. Combined with his vision and drive, he brings years of experience to his leadership role as head of be2’s product management, international business development, and worldwide marketing.

If one looks at Robert’s career it is obvious that he would go on to establish his own international company. In 2003, the Sociology Ph.D. achieved his longcherished dream and developed be2, the matchmaking service.

Robert started his career as an Executive Assistant for Strategy and Finance at Bertelsmann AG in 1996. After successfully managing two profit centers for Heinrich Vogel Verlag, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG in Munich, he was promoted within the Bertelsmann Group and became Managing Director of Lycos Germany in 1999. During this time he helped the online portal to achieve a listing on the stock exchange and was responsible for the smooth integration of Spray and Fireball into the company. Under his management, Lycos Austria was founded and became the fastest to reach breakeven within the Lycos organization. Following these successes, the top venture capital company, Benchmark Capital, invited Robert to a sabbatical in London in 2001, where he quickly identified dating agencies on the Internet as an area with remarkable growth potential. Today, be2’s global success is proof of Robert’s entrepreneurial vision and ability to transform it into reality.

Andreas Etten, Chief Operating Officer

Born in Hamburg, Andreas Etten has more than 13 years’ experience in the Internet world and is one of the Internet veterans. He has founded and successfully built several companies in this area such as Market Makers/iTrade which developed a software platform for web-based market-places. Andreas came up with the idea for Market Makers in 1995 already while working as a consultant for The Boston Consulting Group. Exiting iTrade in 2000, Andreas went on to join the Scout24-Group in the Executive Board in 2001. In addition to his role as board member and chairman in various Scout24 subsidiaries, he was also the sole CEO of FriendScout24 from 2001 to 2004 and grew it from its beginning until it was the undisputed leader in the German dating industry. Since 2005, Andreas has been acting as be2’s COO and employs his wealth of experience to manage be2’s day-to-day operations as well as to develop its structures and organization for its future growth.

Prior to this Internet history, Andreas started his career in 1989 with Arthur Andersen in Milan, completing his major in business administration with honors at the University of Hamburg. Being a true entrepreneur, he quickly moved on and found his first company in Monaco in 1990 which he successfully developed trading fashion from Italy to Eastern Europe and Asia. In 1993 he sold his shares.

Carsten Böltz, Product Management Director

Carsten Böltz is a member of the be2 management team and responsible for product management. While studying, he acquired a broad range of work experience working with companies both at home and abroad. In 2001, Carsten developed the customer care department at Friendscout24 from scratch and went on to manage it for the next one and a half years. As one of the original employees at be2, he was responsible for the successful implementation of many projects during the development phase and actively contributed to the mainstays of the company.

Now as Director of Product Management, Carsten proactively enhances all matters relating to the service’s further development. This crucial role includes the overall management and operation of the entire product and making sure that the core of be2’s business, the customers and their needs, is second to none.

Dr. Alberto Gemma, Marketing Director

Specializing in web content and international marketing strategies, Dr. Alberto Gemma , from Northern Italy, fits perfectly into be2’s management team. After starting his career in offline media at RAI, the Italian national TV, Alberto moved on to work on the development and localization of Microsoft products such as Windows and the Office Suite. He was then an Editorial Director for Italy at Lycos Europe, and a Vice President for Content and Editorial at Vitaminic, an online music platform listed on the Milan stock exchange.

After his experience at eBay where he focused on content development and the integration of international online platforms, Alberto chose to join be2 in the beginning of 2005 when it was in its early stages and now holds the position of Director of Online Marketing. He and his team are responsible for the online marketing of the service and bring their energetic commitment to all forms of online advertising as well as media buying.

Tristan Foerster, International Director

Tristan A. Foerster, who is part German and American and had spent many years in Canada, has had a very international career to date, with his employment taking him from Germany through France and Asia then back to Germany. Important stages along his professional journey have included working for Lycos Germany, where he helped to establish the Business Development division, the founding of his own Internet start-up company PriceCrash as well as his years at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.

Born in Munich, he has been a member of be2’s management team as International Director since September 2007 and is enthusiastic about being responsible for the company’s global expansion.

Hans-Joachim Jost, Business Intelligence Director

Hans-Joachim Jost has an international and analytical approach to business. After having started his professional career in an international environment at Kodak, he moved into I.T. consulting. He finished post-graduate MBA studies in Paris and specialized in the area of data mining (including the foundation of a software start-up with a partner) and business intelligence, consulting for, amongst others, Cisco Systems. In early 2006, Hans-Joachim accepted an offer to join be2’s management team as Director of Business Intelligence.

By combining his fresh ideas in the areas of consulting, information technology, and business intelligence with his extensive international business and leadership skills, Hans-Joachim brings considerable experience to this position.

Dr. Dave Sharrock, IT Director

Dave Sharrock, a British national, loves challenges: a PhD in Seismology, a Duke-Goethe Executive MBA as well as leading multinational teams in international companies. After a research fellowship at Oxford University, he turned to industry, joining Domino Systems, a large independent web development agency, where Dave rapidly established himself in the executive management team. Dave then moved client-side, working first as New Media Director at Fujitsu Siemens Computers, then as EMEA Compliance Manager with Hewlett-Packard.

In 2007, he joined be2, where today, as Director of IT, Dave’s technical knowledge, insights into internet business and international management skills help drive the successful development and growth of be2.

Ivan McMahon, Finance Director

Ivan McMahon, an Irish national, brings more than 14 years management experience in finance, internet, telecommunications and high-growth international companies to the be2 Management Team. Ivan received a BSc (Hons.) in Business Decisions Analysis from Staffordshire University, is a UK qualified Accountant and holds a Fellowship Membership with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Prior to be2, Ivan was Head of Finance and a Member of the Board of Vodafone UK’s Technology and Support Units where he was responsible for over €1bn Euro of spend, implementing performance benchmarking and negotiating a number of industry leading technology outsourcing and joint-venture deals. He started his career with Europcar before moving to British American Tobacco where after two years in Corporate Finance between London and Switzerland, he set up and was responsible for new Export and Duty Free Operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2000 Ivan was one of the first employees in a new B2B internet auctioneering start-up, GoIndustry. As Group Finance Director he was responsible for Finance, HR, Legal and Investor Relations. Ivan managed a number of international acquisitions and joint ventures and led the company expansion into 26 countries while implementing IFRS reporting and preparing the Group for a successful stock exchange listing in the UK. As Director of be2’s Finance depart-ment since March 2008, Ivan brings a wealth of global finance expertise to the company.