Robert Cohn
Encyclopedia
Robert Cohn is an entrepreneur and businessman known for the founding of Octel Communications, the company that commercialized voice mail and was largely responsible for making it ubiquitous on cell phones, in companies and on residential phones.
In 1982, Cohn founded Octel Communications Corporation. He served as Chairman and CEO of Octel from its inception in 1982 until the company was purchased by Lucent Technologies
in 1997. He then served as an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies
, Inc. and retired April 30, 1999. From 2002-2004, Cohn was a partner with Sequoia Capital
.
Before Octel, Cohn held positions with McKinsey & Company
, and Banque Rothschild in France. He has a BS degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Florida
and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Octel adopted many of Silicon Valley's successful cultural concepts like employee sabbaticals, 100% participation in stock option plans, comprehensive employee performance reviews and career planning, an internal fitness center, and Octel University to give all employees new skills and ongoing training. Octel was among the first to offer AIDS education, and universal medical coverage including pre-existing conditions.
Lucent Technologies
acquired Octel in 1997 for over $2 billion in cash and assumption of options. Lucent's Audix products were combined with Octel's to create the Octel Messaging Division based in Milpitas, California. Revenues of the Octel Messaging Division in the year Octel was acquired exceeded $1.2 billion. Cohn was made an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies
and President of the Octel Messaging Division.
, Right Hemisphere, Market Live, Taboola, and AirQC. Cohn is a trustee of Robert Ballard
’s Ocean Exploration Trust, and a Board Member Emeritus of Business Executives for National Security
, a volunteer organization of business leaders that works with the Department of Defense
.
Cohn previously served on the boards of Octel, Trimble Navigation (GPS navigation), Electronic Arts
(video games), Ashford.com (high-end online retail), Digital Domain
(special effects for commercials and feature films) and BlueLithium
(internet advertising). He was a member of the Board of Governors of NASDAQ
from 1990 through 1993 where he also served on the Executive Committee; a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business
from 1993 to 1999; a board member of the National Conference for Community and Justice
(a national organization devoted to addressing the issues of bigotry, bias and racism in America). He was a trustee of the Ballet San Jose and Castilleja School
, the International School of the Peninsula
, and has previously been a member of the American Business Conference, the Council of Competitiveness, and the World Economic Forum
in Davos, Switzerland, where he was also an industry governor in the Data and Communications sector for 5 years.
In 1982, Cohn founded Octel Communications Corporation. He served as Chairman and CEO of Octel from its inception in 1982 until the company was purchased by Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
in 1997. He then served as an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
, Inc. and retired April 30, 1999. From 2002-2004, Cohn was a partner with Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is a Californian venture capital firm located on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California. The Wall Street Journal has called Sequoia Capital "one of the highest-caliber venture firms", and noted that it is "one of Silicon Valley's most influential venture-capital firms"...
.
Before Octel, Cohn held positions with McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
, and Banque Rothschild in France. He has a BS degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Octel
Cohn and Peter Olson founded Octel in September, 1982. Octel started shipping product in 1984, became profitable and started generating cash in 1985, and went public in 1988. Octel was the first technology company to go public after the stock market crash of 1987.Octel adopted many of Silicon Valley's successful cultural concepts like employee sabbaticals, 100% participation in stock option plans, comprehensive employee performance reviews and career planning, an internal fitness center, and Octel University to give all employees new skills and ongoing training. Octel was among the first to offer AIDS education, and universal medical coverage including pre-existing conditions.
Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
acquired Octel in 1997 for over $2 billion in cash and assumption of options. Lucent's Audix products were combined with Octel's to create the Octel Messaging Division based in Milpitas, California. Revenues of the Octel Messaging Division in the year Octel was acquired exceeded $1.2 billion. Cohn was made an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
and President of the Octel Messaging Division.
Boards
Cohn serves on the board of Charter CommunicationsCharter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, Right Hemisphere, Market Live, Taboola, and AirQC. Cohn is a trustee of Robert Ballard
Robert Ballard
Robert Duane Ballard is a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989,...
’s Ocean Exploration Trust, and a Board Member Emeritus of Business Executives for National Security
Business Executives for National Security
Business Executives for National Security is an American 501 non-profit organization. It was founded in 1982 by former mining executive Stanley A...
, a volunteer organization of business leaders that works with the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
.
Cohn previously served on the boards of Octel, Trimble Navigation (GPS navigation), Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
(video games), Ashford.com (high-end online retail), Digital Domain
Digital Domain
Digital Domain is a visual effects and animation company founded by film director James Cameron, Stan Winston and Scott Ross. It is based in Venice, Los Angeles, California...
(special effects for commercials and feature films) and BlueLithium
BlueLithium
BlueLithium is an online advertising network, founded by Gurbaksh Chahal in January 2004. Its service is intended to join behavioral targeting with advanced data analytics to improve campaign optimization over a global advertising network....
(internet advertising). He was a member of the Board of Governors of NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
from 1990 through 1993 where he also served on the Executive Committee; a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
from 1993 to 1999; a board member of the National Conference for Community and Justice
National Conference for Community and Justice
The National Conference for Community and Justice is a national, human relations, non-profit organization in the United States. Its mission is to fight bias, bigotry, and racism and promote understanding and respect through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education.The NCCJ was founded in 1927...
(a national organization devoted to addressing the issues of bigotry, bias and racism in America). He was a trustee of the Ballet San Jose and Castilleja School
Castilleja School
Castilleja School is an independent school for 415 girls in grades six through twelve, located in Palo Alto, California. Castilleja is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, the International School of the Peninsula
International School of the Peninsula
International School of the Peninsula is an independent co-ed nursery–8th grade Chinese & French language immersion day school located in Palo Alto, California....
, and has previously been a member of the American Business Conference, the Council of Competitiveness, and the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Davos, Switzerland, where he was also an industry governor in the Data and Communications sector for 5 years.