Technology >> CEO Interviews >> March 19, 2001
BERNARD HULME is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Tadpole Technology
Plc. In late 1996, Bernard Hulme was invited to join Tadpole Technology
Plc after mounting losses and investor pressure resulted in its founder
and CEO stepping down. Tadpole was one of the early high-tech IPOs on
the London Stock Exchange but, by 1996, needed rebuilding. Mr Hulme has
since led Tadpole from being a Cambridge, UK-based legacy hardware
designer and manufacturer to an internationally based company
concentrating on mobile and network infrastructure solutions for
professional markets. At Tadpole, Mr Hulme refocused the Group around
wireless Internet technologies. Since 1998, the company has developed an
innovative range of rugged Internet devices based on Strong Arm and Java
and, with its newly-acquired Java and Windows-based mobile software, won
business at global utility groups including Vivendi, Scottish Power and
United Utilities. In March 2000, Tadpole acquired Endeavors Technology
Inc, developers of world class peer-to-peer infrastructure software. The
P2P software will complement Tadpole's other software business, as well
as enabling Tadpole to enter significant new markets. Mr Hulme
previously held senior positions at SCO and ICL. At SCO, where he was VP
Marketing and later senior VP International, he worked closely with
Geoffrey Moore in the formative period of the Chasm Group during
1990-1991 and introduced SCO to whole product marketing which was
applied with considerable success within the retail and telco segments.
A frequent speaker on open systems at European trade and analyst
conferences during the first half of the 1990s, Mr Hulme has more
recently concentrated on promoting the wireless net to the UK press,
radio and television media. He shares his time between his offices in
the USA and UK. Profile
Tadpole Technology; what are its core businesses?
Mr. Hulme: Tadpole Technology is a specialist vendor of mobile
