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Published in U.S. 1 Newspaper on January 26, 2000. All rights
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Partnering with the Bull: Merrill’s Online Strategy
One of the marvelous things about the Internet today,
says Frank Zammataro, is how Fortune 500 companies are working
with smaller companies to enhance their online strategies. He will
discuss these E-alliances and other aspects of the digital economy
as the keynote speaker for New Jersey Technology Council’s Capital
Conference on Friday, January 28, at 8 a.m. at the Marriott. As first
vice president and senior director of strategic technologies at
Merrill
Lynch, Zammataro was one of those who jumpstarted Merrill Lynch’s
online presence. Cost: $135 including breakfast and lunch; call
856-787-9700.
Also on the program: Caren Franzini, executive director of New
Jersey Economic Development Authority, who will moderate a symposium
on Financing Technology Companies. Her panelists include Peter
Ackorey, Drinker Biddle & Shanley LLP; Richard Carmichael,
senior managing director, Capital Markets Group, Summit Bank; Steve
Hobman, senior vice president of Progress Bank; and Christopher
Svastano, director of business development, PSEG Energy
Technologies.
David Sorin, managing partner of Buchanan Ingersoll PC,
discusses
the secrets of doing an Initial Public Offering (IPO) with Skip
Braun, a partner at Arthur Anderson LLP; Gregory Burkus,
managing director of Deutsche Banc Alex Brown Technology Group; and
Bob Olanoff, CFO of RecruitSource. Steve Cohen of Morgan
Lewis & Bockius LLP, moderates a symposium on DPOs (Direct Public
Offerings): Offerings on the Internet (with no “middle man”).
The panelists include Tom Gallagher of Gallagher Briody &
Butler;
Barry Abelson of Pepper Hamilton LLP; and Ed O’Connell
of Wiss & Company LLP.
Zammataro majored in political science and communications at St.
John’s
and has a master’s from New York University. He joined Merrill Lynch
in 1979 and is known for creating the company’s online program,
askmerrill.com,
and E-commerce websites. He is responsible for making strategic
digital
alliances for various divisions of Merrill Lynch.
“One of the true signs of a successful company, whether you are
big or small,” says Zammataro, “is how you are learning to
deal with the respective third party on the other side. As a small
company you want to learn how to create something that could be
attractive
to a company like Merrill Lynch. A company like Merrill Lynch can
make a strategic investment in the small company and build credibility
in the online environment.”
“It is less of a science and more of an art for large and small
enterprises to learn how to work together,” he says. But it could
pay off: “Merrill Lynch wants to find the diamonds in the rough
to add value to our online strategy.”
“As part of our overall dotcom development activity, we have
created
a new unit, E-alliances and E-investments, to get a broader view of
what kind of relationship a firm needs to have with dotcom entities.
We want to work with different, new, emerging communities, and to
have a diverse portfolio of relationships.”
Merrill Lynch has been doing a considerable amount of pre-IPO
investing,
and it has an equity fund, “so when we do find a firm we like,
we will pursue a small investment.” In particular, Zammataro is
looking for companies that can bring “pervasive computing,”
allowing consumers to hook up to the Web from anywhere at anytime.
Another target: companies that can deliver “broadband,” bigger
pipes for audio and video and massive data files.
To judge whether you are dealing with a savvy investor, ask about
the track record. Zammataro made a great pick early on: early on he
put the Bull’s money into Real Networks, then known as Progressive
Networks. That’s the company founded by the Microsoft expatriate,
Rob Glaser. Now Glaser has nearly cornered the market on streaming
audio.
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