Two US-based companies have changed their European corporate venturing personnel.
Miles Kirby (pictured) has become managing director of technology group Qualcomm’s Ventures Europe unit, while Mark Felix, investment manager for Dow Venture Capital, is effectively running Europe for the chemicals company from its Swiss office.
Kirby said on his LinkedIn page he would be "expanding Qualcomm’s investments in Western European and driving new investments in Eastern Europe".
Kirby had spent the previous 12 months as senior director of business development at Qualcomm covering Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa and his internal move to corporate venturing followed the departure of Frédéric Rombaut to technology company Cisco to run mergers and acquisitions in international regions, including Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Rombaut’s first deal at Cisco was to buy video software maker NDS for $5bn from private equity firm Permira and media group News Corp.
Prior to this, Kirby had spent four and a half years having founded and run Qualcomm’s group chartered with developing new business areas with potential revenues of at least $1bn per year.
He developed its Innovation Engine process that led to five new programmes covering augmented reality, contextual awareness, nervous system processors, indoor position location and wireless charging.
Felix has effectively stepped up after Monty Bayer, managing director of Dow Venture Capital, said: "Paul Morris is no longer with Dow Venture Capital. Not sure what Paul has moved on to at this point."
Morris was unavailable for contact after his work mobile phone was returned to Dow.