PHONE: +1 650 996 0947
EMAIL: jsoden@gptpartners.com

John Soden joined GrowthPoint Technology Partners to lead the communications practice. Mr. Soden has over 30 years of experience in the global communications industry as a sell side banker, CEO, venture capitalist, and strategy consultant. Most recently, he was the CEO of Ryan Hankin Kent, Inc. (“RHK”), a VC-sponsored market research and consulting services firm that specialized in the public telecom infrastructure arena. Mr. Soden initially became affiliated with RHK in 1999 to personally assist their market research clients to sell their firms, raise capital or locate strategic partners. These activities resulted in transactions ranging in proceeds for his clients from $10M to $750M. In this role, he advised firms with optical component, module and network systems products, including the sale of Sensors Unlimited to Finisar, the sale of Cierra Photonics to Bookham and the raising of funds for Indigo Systems from The Carlyle Group, et al. More recently, he advised Novera Optics on its sale to LG Nortel.

Mr. Soden took over RHK in 2003 when it was on the verge of insolvency. He stabilized and streamlined the company, executed several sell-side banking assignments that kept the company afloat and then sold the company to Ovum, Ltd in the UK. RHK became the largest shareholder in Ovum and then cashed out at Ovum’s IPO on the AIM market in early 2006.

In 1984, Mr. Soden founded and was the Managing General Partner of International Technology Ventures (ITV), an early stage venture capital firm with limited partners from Europe, the Middle East and the US. Mr. Soden’s investments at ITV included a mix of startup software and communications firms in the US. The more profitable portfolio companies were Centex Telecommunications, Digital Sound, Paradise Systems, Retix, Stratacom, SoftSwitch, and Video Telcom. During this time he served on a dozen Boards of Directors. Subsequently he sold his partnership interest in ITV and became a Venture Partner at Sierra Ventures where he was active in a variety of startup wireless ventures in the OSS software, wireless infrastructure services, and intelligent antenna spaces.

Mr. Soden began his career at McKinsey and Company, the management consulting firm, where he practiced for 15 years. He initially served major enterprises in a wide variety of industries on matters related to information technology. Subsequently, he worked with the top management of hi-tech firms such as AT&T, Lockheed, Olivetti, Philips, Rockwell, and Xerox on a broad range of strategic issues – including divestment of operating entities and investment in strategic partners.

Mr. Soden holds a PhD in Operations Research from Cornell University, with a MS and BS from NC State University. He enjoys snow skiing and trying to fathom the science of the origin and future of the universe.

^ Back to Top