Potential multi-millionaire Rob Lewis is boosting the sales team of
his internet TV operation Silicon.com as it prepares to float.
Lewis, 30, is set for a pounds 120 million pay-out if Silicon. com’s
parent NMTV floats with its estimated market value of pounds 800
million. Key members of staff, who hold equity in the company, can also
expect large windfalls.
Lewis said the float would take place ’within a year’.
’We have a sales team of six,’ Lewis explained. ’We’re looking to
recruit another six over the next three months and a further nine to 12
over the course of a year.’
Silicon.com is also launching in Germany and will expand into ’at least
two other countries in the near future’, including the US. ’All those
offices will need teams of at least six, growing to perhaps 18,’ Lewis
said.
Another likely to benefit from the float is sales director Tom Bureau,
who shares stakes worth pounds 240 million with chief executive Lewis
and three other directors. But Lewis said there were only three
employees out of more than 50 who did not have a stake in the
company.
Silicon.com provides text, video news and features to IT
professionals.
Up to September this year it has generated sales of pounds 30 million
from clients including Virgin, Tesco, Microsoft and Intel. Lewis intends
it to become the first in a raft of online business-to-business
services, creating an internet version of publishing houses like
Haymarket and VNU