Mark Jacobson – Founder & Managing Partner, Search

Mark has been aligning technology and media-driven growth companies with pivotal leadership for over a decade.  He brings a keen understanding of the technology and media marketplace to Ignition, coupled with extensive experience in executive search, venture capital and advisory services. Mark has a passion for placing superior, senior-level talent – CEOs, Board Members and other functional business leaders – for early-stage and multinational corporations alike.

Prior to founding Ignition, Mark was a Partner at Barlow Group, where he was responsible for leading, managing and executing searches in the Digital Media, Mobile and Software sectors.  Before joining Barlow Group, Mark was a Senior Associate at James & Company, a leading search in the Media, Entertainment, Sports and Technology industries.

Previously, Mark spent nearly 5 years in Silicon Valley working in the Advanced Technology practice for one of the world’s largest executive search firms.  He also served as Director of Human Capital for a boutique venture capital fund where he assisted in attracting and retaining key executives.  There he also advised, mentored and recruited for the Fund’s portfolio companies, and lead professional recruiting efforts for the Fund.

Mark began his career at a premier law firm working on high technology venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings. Mark earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Tufts University and has completed graduate coursework at UCLA and UC Berkeley.

Chris Farmer – Founder & Managing Partner, Ventures

Chris has spent his career working alongside leading entrepreneurs as a co-founder, investor, recruiter & strategic advisor to build world class teams and, ultimately, world class companies. As a serial entrepreneur, Chris understands the need to recruit the best and the brightest to achieve a company’s full potential and works tirelessly to do so.

Previously, Chris was a Vice President with Bessemer Venture Partners, one of the world’s premier venture capital firms, where he focused on consumer Internet, media and wireless investments. He served as a Director or Observer on the boards of Access 360 Media, GoTV Networks, Goal.com, Hands-On Mobile, Millennial Media & Way Systems.

Prior to BVP, Chris was a consultant with Bain & Co., where he advised on private equity transactions in sectors ranging from entertainment & media through software & telecom. Prior to Bain, Chris spearheaded the turnaround of Skybitz, a wireless services company ranked #2 in the inaugural 2007 Deloitte/CTIA Wireless Fast 50, a list of the wireless companies with the fastest revenue growth over the past five years. As effective Co-CEO, Chris led fundraising for the company, helping to raise two rounds of venture capital. He also headed product management & business development, guiding product design & establishing strategic alliances with AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Motorola & Qualcomm.

Chris joined Skybitz from Geostrategy Partners, an investment advisory & management consulting firm he founded to provide services to angel investors & private equity funds. Chris also served as a Venture Advisor to a fund affiliated with Hummer Winblad Venture Partners where he led investments in SkyBitz and Applied Semantics (acquired by Google). Chris started his career on Wall Street in the private equity group of Cowen & Company.

Chris has a BA from Tufts University, with High Thesis Honors, and has completed extensive graduate work at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and at Harvard Business School.