“Kevin Bloch”
FirstWave Cloud Technology Limited (ASX: FCT) has formed a Technology and Markets Board Committee with Kevin Bloch as adviser to the Company through the TMC.
FirstWave founder and Non-Executive Director, Scott Lidgett will chair the new Committee. Executive Chairman, John Grant, COO Neil Pollock, Strategy Director, Roger Carvosso and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Simon Ryan will also be on the TMC. Non-Executive Directors Paul MacRae and David Acton will both participate as Observers. The Company intends to invite external advisers to provide critical analysis, guidance, advice, networking and introductions to assist FirstWave realise the significant revenue opportunity it sees for its Cloud Content Security Platform (CCSP) both domestically and internationally.
“John Grant, Executive Chairman, FirstWave Cloud Technology”
In this context, the Company has secured the services of Mr Kevin Bloch as its first external adviser. Mr Bloch brings almost 40 years of experience in the technology sector in Australia and globally. He recently left Cisco Systems ANZ where he was CTO from 2008 to 2020 leading strategy, innovation and engineering following nine years in other senior leadership roles. Prior to Cisco, he was also CTO at JNA Telecommunications, a local Australian technology company, for fourteen years, where he led R&D and systems integration and the sale of JNA to Lucent Technologies.
While at Cisco, he worked across the organisation as part of the sales effort on deals of up to $1 billion in all sectors, presented to over 20,000 customers each year for over 10 years, has been a keynote speaker in over 50 countries in both Cisco and customer events, all helping Cisco Australia achieve highest brand recognition globally amongst Cisco subsidiaries.
As adviser to FirstWave, his role will be to review FirstWave’s current product and commercialisation strategy and develop, with the TMC, a program of work that will help the Company deliver its FY21 plan in the short term, and position it for sustained success in the long term.
As part of his and FirstWave’s commitment to these objectives, Mr Bloch will take a percentage of his fees as Service Rights under FirstWave’s recently approved Rights Plan.
Commenting on Mr Bloch’s appointment, FirstWave Executive Chairman Mr John Grant said, “Kevin’s joining FirstWave is a significant coup for the Company and for shareholders. There are few in Australia whose skills, experience and reputation are so appropriately matched to FirstWave’s opportunity. Kevin’s unequivocal focus on doing only the things that drive commercial outcomes impressed both the Board and the Executive team. Clearly, he will be able to positively impact our OEM relationship with Cisco, but we expect his impact through our new Technology and Markets Board Committee to be across the whole business.”
Mr Bloch added, “I am delighted to join FirstWave in one of my first engagements in my new technology advisory firm. Why Firstwave? Australian, locally developed I.P, aiming global, in cyber (white hot!), with a great team and outstanding Chairman”.
