Corvil » Board of Directors

Donal Byrne – CEO

Donal Byrne is leading Corvil’s innovation in mathematical and algorithmic-based solutions for ultra-low latency monitoring and management, and optimization of high frequency electronic trading and market data consumption in the capital markets. Donal joined Corvil in 2000 as non-executive chairman and became CEO in 2002, with a mission to build a successful, multinational software company catering to the global financial services sector.

Donal has over twenty years of experience in computer systems, networking and telecommunications. In 2004, Donal was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer for his work with Corvil. In 2005, he was named in the Top 10 Emerging Technology Companies in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Prior to Corvil, Donal was a founding management team member of FirstMark Communications, an alternate broadband service provider in Europe, and served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

From 1993 to 1999, he worked in Silicon Valley. In 1996, Donal co-founded Berkeley Networks which was acquired in 1998 by Fore Systems, a leader in Internet switching platforms. He was senior vice president of marketing at Fore Systems until the company was acquired a year later by GEC. Between 1993 and 1996, he was director of architecture and product management at Bay Networks (formerly Synoptics and Wellfleet), responsible for development of next-generation routers. Donal joined Synoptics from Digital Equipment Corporation in Boston, where he led hardware and software engineering development on a wide range of data switching and Internet routing products. Earlier in his career, Donal worked in France Telecom’s research laboratories (CNET, Lannion), focusing on high-speed optical transmission and telecommunications systems.

Donal holds a B.E. and M.Eng.Sc. degrees from University College, Dublin. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events, and has numerous publications and patents in the field of network communications.

Zenas Hutcheson - Vesbridge

Zenas has been involved with high-tech venture companies since 1981 as an investor, board member, CEO and consultant. Before forming Vesbridge, Zenas was SPVC’s Co-Managing General Partner and the Managing General Partner of the NITI group within SPVC. Zenas joined SPVC in 1997.

Some of Zenas’ representative investments include: Vivo Software (acquired by Real Networks, 41x return), GeoTrust (acquired by VeriSign), Granite Systems (acquired by Telcordia), Acopia Networks and Chosen Security (spun-out of GeoTrust upon acquisition).

Prior to joining SPVC, Zenas was an independent consultant and turnaround specialist in the high-tech arena for nearly 20 years, serving as a senior advisor, board member, chairman or CEO to over 35 companies and taking the role of CEO at CAECO, Vivo Software, and Control Automation and board member at Natural Microsystems, PictureTel, and Concord Data Systems, all of which had extremely successful exits. He started his career at Bain & Co (1979-81) and BoNY (1975-78).

John Flynn - ACT Venture Capital

John Flynn has been with ACT Venture Capital since 1996 and focuses on early stage technology investments with a particular interest on Semiconductor, Communications and Software companies. Prior to joining ACT Venture Capital, John worked with EDS Group, the international IT Services and Consultancy company.

Jim Mountjoy

Jim is one of the leading figures in the highly successful Irish software sector. He was founder and CEO of Euristix, a 150 strong company that developed world-class solutions in Telecommunications Network Management and Signalling. Euristix was acquired by Fore Systems in 1999.

Peter Skinner – Azini

Peter Skinner joined Azini at the time of its acquisition of the Apax Partners venture portfolio in October 2010.

Prior to that, he spent 17 years with Apax Partners advising and supporting portfolio companies.  Most recently he has served on the boards of Bolero, Corvil, Frontier Silicon, StreamServe (acquired by Open Text), Tideway (acquired by BMC), Iris Financial (acquired by Mascon Global) and Crane Telecoms (acquired by Datatec).

He joined Apax partners after 25 years in the telecommunications industry, firstly with Plessey and STC/ITT and latterly with BT in a number of general management roles including three years as director of BT’s Mobile Communications.

Peter Skinner is a graduate of Aberdeen University.

Tom Rowbotham - Vesbridge

Tom spent much of his career in British Telecommunications, culminating in running BT Laboratories. 

Tom founded KCC, which produced the world’s first 3D microwave circuit design software. He has served on the Boards of over fifteen early stage technology companies as well as Flomerics plc (sold to Mentor Graphics), ERA Technology (sold to Cobham), Fulcrum (sold to Fujitsu), and the IEEE.

Most recently Tom has been a Venture Partner in St Paul Venture Capital, and Vesbridge Partners.

In addition to Corvil, Tom is currently a Director of Irisys (Northampton) and chairman of Diamond Microwave Devices (Leeds)

Tom qualified in Microwave Physics from Belfast, Surrey and Nottingham Universities, and has been a visiting Professor at Nottingham and Kings College London Universities. Tom is a Fellow of the IEEE and the Royal Academy of Engineering, and was awarded the Frederik Philips Prize by the IEEE.