Metamorphic Ventures Boosts Its Roster of Partners and Advisors with Latest Moves

Metamorphic welcomes third partner Marc Michel, as well as new advisors Gokul Rajaram, Roland DeSilva, David Nussbaum, Marta Wohrle, David Weisman and Joe Proto. These names join existing Metamorphic advisors Geoff Judge and Erik Matlik.

"We are thrilled and humbled by the level of talent and commitment of our advisors," says David Hirsch, co-founding partner of Metamorphic Ventures. "We are very focused on all touch points of the process from deal sourcing to technology, monetization, strategy, acceleration and exit. Our advisors are some of the best at executing around these goals."

Marc Michel, the newest Metamorphic partner, has been a venture and private equity investor for over 20 years. Previously, Michel was group head of TD Capital Communication Partners, Toronto Dominion's $500 million media and telecom private equity fund. At TD, Michel built and led a group of 20 investment professionals. Prior to TD, Michel led Eos Partners SBIC, a $60 million venture fund. He began his career with Merrill Lynch Interfunding, a $1.3 billion middle market buyout fund. Michel has been involved in building over 60 companies during his career. He brings deep industry, transaction and fund management expertise.

"Marc's proven track record in building large successful funds with stellar returns has already added strategic thinking, structure and discipline that will positively impact our portfolio companies and LPs," says Lewis Gersh, co-founding partner of Metamorphic.

Among the new advisors is Gokul Rajaram, founder of Chai Labs, a Silicon Valley, Calif.-based Internet solutions start-up. Prior to Chai Labs, Rajaram, a graduate of MIT's Sloan School of Management, was product management director and engineer for Google AdSense. He helped conceive the product in early 2003 and played a key role in its launch and growth into a multi-billion-dollar product line. Rajaram was also tech/product lead for Google's DoubleClick, AdScape and dMarc. At Metamorphic, Gokul will assess technology, product and monetization diligence.

Roland DeSilva joins from the investment banking world. DeSilva co-founded DeSilva+Phillips in 1996. It has become a leading investment banking boutique in the traditional and digital media industry. To date, the firm has completed more than 150 transactions. DeSilva has held numerous operating positions within the publishing industry including CEO, COO, and international director with U.S. Business Press, International Thomson and The Chilton Company, a division of Capital Cities/ABC.

Also joining Metamorphic is David Nussbaum, chairman and CEO of F+W Media. F+W Media is a leading multimedia company providing information and inspiration for core enthusiast communities, including writing, art, graphic design, outdoors, antiques and collectibles and woodworking, among others. Nussbaum is formerly CEO of Penton Media, where he is credited with turning the organization around and spearheading the acquisition to Wasserstein and Mid-Ocean. Nussbaum brings deep leadership skills in turnaround management and revenue creation.

Marta Wohrle joins Metamorphic from Hatchette Filipacchi Media U.S., where she served as senior vice president of digital media. There, her strategic leadership over the digital extensions of all HFM publications and her eye for new media business opportunities grew the company's digital revenues by 850% in just two years. In 2007, Wohrle was honored as one of Advertising Age's "Women to Watch" and Min Magazine's "21 Most Intriguing People."

Among the new advisors is David E. Weisman, president and CEO of InSite Wireless Group, a telecommunications tower and infrastructure company headquartered in Alexandria, VA. He was previously president, CEO and founder of Mountain Union Telecom from 1999 until its sale in 2006 to Crown Castle International. Prior to founding Mountain Union Telecom, he was of counsel to the law firm of Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker of Rockville, MD.

Capping the list of new advisors is Joe Proto, chairman and CEO of Transactis. For large billers, Transactis replaces the high cost of postage/paper/print with its patent-pending email billing "push" service called BillMail and is a leading provider of Web-based electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP). Prior to Transactis, Proto founded REMITCO in 1996, a payment processing company with seven U.S. operating facilities, serving many of the country's largest corporations and financial institutions. In 2000, REMITCO was acquired by First Data.

These new names will compliment the skills and experience of existing Metamorphic advisors Geoff Judge and Erik Matlik.

Judge assists Metamorphic with deal sourcing and vetting around monetization and customer acquisition. Prior to joining Metamorphic, Judge co-founded 24/7 Media, which he helped take public in 1998. The firm sold for $649 million in 2007. Previously, he spent nine years at American Express in several roles, including vice president and general manager of the travel and corporate insurance group and vice president of marketing for the new card member group.

Matlik plays a key role in the Metamoprhic's partnerships and its business model vetting process. He also is the CEO and founder of Madison Logic, an ad-serving company that is part of the Metamorphic portfolio. Prior to starting Madison Logic, Matlik started Industry Brains, a business-to-business performance-based ad network that sold to the advertising company Marchex for $35 million in 2006. Matlik has created more than 100 partnerships with major media companies, marketers and publishers.

* Learn more about the Metamorphic team here.

* Also see the latest news from oneTXT, one of Metamorphic's portfolio of companies.

Metamorphic Ventures is a New York City-based venture capital fund and business accelerator, which invests in start-up and early-stage businesses exclusively in digital media and transaction processing technology sectors. Metamorphic's unique capital efficient approach works with entrepreneurs and their portfolio companies to create long-term value and innovative solutions, while keeping the exit burden low. Portfolio companies include: FetchBack, oneTXT, Transactis, Lookery, and Madison Logic. For more information, visit www.metamorphic.vc.

SOURCE: Metamorphic Ventures

Middleberg Communications 
Matthew Kirdahy, 212-812-5665, ext. 117 
mkirdahy@middlebergcommunications.com 
or 
Metamorphic Ventures, LLC 
David Hirsch, 212-209-3362 
David@metamorphic.vc