Nicolas Babin

In charge of marketing, sales and international development

• Direct all press communication, including corporate and product (B2B & B2C) for Sony in Europe.
• Supported the launch of 2000 products in 2 years which contributed to an increase in revenue of 3.5% per annum.
• Manage the Sony brand across Europe, creating a voice of authority programme.
• Manage all employee communications for the 13,000 employees in Europe.
• Participate in communication platform and the global corporate communication group including Japan and America.
• Functional head of 115 professionals in 25 countries.
• Created a new profile for 3 platforms (Corporate/Products/Employees), educating senior European management in communicating with the press.
• Created and ran successful new European press event involving over 500 journalists, generating €11 million return on €2 investment.

Managing Director (Head of the division) – Sony Entertainment Robot Europe

• Increased sales by 42% and 34% respectively over first two years moving from a $6M loss to profit.
• Directed the Administration, Finance, Sales, Marketing/Development and support activity throughout Western and Eastern Europe.
• Restructured and developed the division by reducing costs by 75%.
• Established the European market for robot products with retail launches in more than 9 countries as well as direct sales across Europe. Increase results to become first region in the world.
• Negotiated a €100 million campaign for all Sony products with AIBO as the main mascot (pan European campaign).

Vice President Europe and board member
CUE Corporation, based in Irvine, California, is the largest radio data network in the world. CUE was founded in 1984 by Nokia.

• Negotiationed the acquisition of bandwidth with radio stations to carry CUE services.
• Established a joint venture between Cue and the UK Automobile Association for delivery of traffic information using RDS/TMC wireless protocol to the members of a traffic alliance across Europe.
• Facilitated investment in CUE Telematics.

Chief Executive Officer
DataCash enables Merchants to receive Credit Card and Debit Card payments via their Website (Electronic Commerce over the Internet). DataCash is traded on the AIM in London.

• Increased sales activity from 10 to 40 new customers a week.
• Reorganised the sales team into direct and indirect channels.
• Promoted the company to various investors from the city of London.

Managing Director – Europe
Etak is the premier publisher of location based technology and digital maps for in-vehicle information systems, mobile traveller information systems, real-time traffic services, utility damage prevention and commercial business geographic markets.

• Increased revenue by 100% annually transforming an annual $3M loss into a $5M profit.
• Achieved ISO 9002 certification for excellence in quality standards.
• Developed the activity from inception of the company in Europe including retail launch of shrinkwrap products.
• Created strategic partnerships to develop into new markets. Managed global accounts.
• Structured financial proposals for capital investment and acquisition.
• Launched direct sales activity for digital maps downloads yielding a $50 million deal over 3 years.

Operations Director – EMEA
Managing Director – Europe
Administration Manager – Europe
C.ATS is a leading supplier of client/server software products for financial risk management

Overhauled operations by cutting expenses by 50% and reducing staff turnover rate from 70% to under 10%. Managed $10,000,000 in revenue. Developed country plans for all European countries and created EMEA marketing department.

C.ATS Software Inc., Palo Alto, CA- July 1994 to April 1995
Manager North American Administration

Organized Human Resources issues world-wide to assist the company in becoming publicly quoted (IPO of March 13, 1995, NASDAQ, CATX – capitalisation of around $60 million).

Director France
Atwork is the leading supplier of operating room management and staff scheduling software, designed for the healthcare market and used by private and public hospitals.

Established company from inception in France. Developed sales of over 4,000,000 French Francs in first year.

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

Entertainment Robot Company , Tokyo, Japan – March 2003 to present
Ecole Superieure des Ingenieurs Commerciaux – Bordeaux, France – Non Executive Chairman for French Operations – September 1998 to present
University of Versailles , France, Robotic and AI curriculum advisor – Oct. 2003 to April 2005
University of Plymouth, England – new curriculum advisor– October 2003 to April 2005
Cue (UK) Ltd. – London, England – Non Executive Director for European Operations – June 2000 to September 2001
ISMAP – Marseilles, France – Board Adviser Global Operations – August 2000 to July 2001. Secured second round of funding with EDB (Singaporean VC). Structured several options for a deal with Gem plus (French VC). Rewrote the business plan.
French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain – London, England – Non Executive Director for English operations – May 1998 to January 2001