Press Release

"The Internet has revolutionized the way we do business, now Interim Management is going to revolutionize the way we drive our business!"

Modelled on the British Interim Management scheme, Vistaprint's co founder launches CEO Worldwide in order to set up teams of managers at the disposal of high tech start-ups

At the beginning of the year, Vistaprint.com, the start-up he had co-founded, was closing its establishment at Sophia to refocus on the United States. It was the end of an adventure for Patrick Mataix who, for five years, had fought at the head of this start-up specializing in long distance printing, and now taking more than 100.000 orders per month in the US (www.vistaprint.com )

Flexibility and rapidity

He had successively undertaken three acquisitions (UK, US and Germany), two restructuring processes, three geographical developments, a transition from traditional to an Internet model, and three fund raising exercises amounting to over $13M. He also carried out the launch of the Vistaprint.com website in the USA in 2000.

He will make good use of this experience for a new adventure. Aged 37, this former employee at Olivetti and then BT, graduate of a MBA at the INSEAD, returns to Sophia-Antipolis with a new concept and a new company. CEO Worldwide, where he is... the CEO, aims to offer a real management tool to European high tech start-ups. "By experiencing the high development of the Interim Management in Great Britain (20% growth a year for five years), and then facing flexibility and rapidity problems during my work experience, I have decided to create CEO Worldwide in France for the European market. Our mission is to qualify the high tech start-up issues or opportunities, then to provide in less than 15 days the right CEO/Entrepreneur profile from our qualified Interim CEOs Club. He or she will jump on board in order to manage operationally one of our 10 assignments for a 3 to 9 months period. During the entire assignments CEO Worldwide is the guarantor of the objectives in front of the board and the current CEO"

A new work conception

What is the main idea? Patrick Mataix considers that the Interim Management is the tool which will change the companies' working methods. Coming from the United States but created in Great Britain in the 80s, the Interim Management is a "just in time" model of human resources within the company. In particular it enables a board of directors, a manager, a capital venturer or capital developer to make a strategic audit of the situation, while offering the flexibility to be operational within a few days. The aim is to implement a strategy, developed and elaborated with the board of directors or the manager (according to the type of mission).

At the same time, CEO Worldwide is thinking of a cultural change in France, in terms of career management for executive managers. It should allow a new way of working. According to this concept, the interim CEO does not consider the career perspectives within the same company as a priority anymore, but prefers to take on new challenges, to gain experience and personal fulfilment, and to promote the evolution of his career through several missions. The operational management of the company and involvement in the decision-making process together with the operational implementation of planned actions constitutes a real personal challenge for him. Therefore Interim Management gives him the opportunity to see things differently.

A management offer by interim

CEO Worldwide offers talented CEOs who are able to quickly integrate within a company. They have the necessary experience to solve a problem in an emergency situation, follow up an opportunity or develop a need of transition and change. The company also aims to answer the growing needs of private equity funds to manage their participations. In line with their suggestions, the company has created an interim management offer tailored to their special requirements.
Patrick Mataix announces that these "management commandos" are all company managers/entrepreneurs with a track record in a European and/or American high tech company. "Our Interim CEOs have been screened by our HR partner and are all over-qualified to take on board one of the 10 assignments that we propose to boards of directors":

10 INTERIM CEO ASSIGNMENTS

• « Acting » CEO
• Technologies to market
• Transition from traditional to internet business model
• Transition from « growth focus to profit focus »
• Company rescue or turn around situation
• Close down or sell offs
• « Co-Pilot » CEO
• Operational Coaching
• Mergers and Acquisition management
• New Products or service launch
• Geographical expansion across Europe & the US
• « On demand » CEO projects for VCs
• Pre or post investment audit

THE CUSTOMER PROFILES

• High Tech companies in a start-up, rescue or high growth phase needing CEO competencies in Europe
• European and US private equity and LBO funds (either as direct clients and/or board recommendation for their portfolio)

« CEO Worldwide is positioned as the key strategic partner of high tech start-ups in Europe. In less than 15 days, we are providing the necessary general management resources to successfully drive a business on an interim basis through rapid changes, issues or opportunities.We are uniquely positioned to service boards of directors with an atypical alchemy ranging from business founders enthusiasm to CEO/Entrepreneurs experience.»

About CEO Worldwide

Founded in October 2001 by Patrick Mataix, former Senior VP and Co-founder of Vistaprint.com, CEO Worldwide offers a new management tool for companies, especially for high tech start ups.
CEO Worldwide represents a team of Interim CEOs who can quickly integrate within a company and have the necessary experience to handle critical situations, follow up a business opportunity or develop a need of transition and change. The company also aims to answer the growing needs of private equity funds to manage their participations. In line with their suggestions, the company has created an interim management offer tailored to their special requirements.
CEO Worldwide has selected and qualified its interim CEOs team amongst experienced entrepreneurs with a proven track record in a managerial role in the United States or in Europe in the high tech industry.
Patrick Mataix now decided to propose companies the first interim management service for high tech start-ups in Europe. He also offers venture capitalists, venture developers and start up companies to benefit from CEO Worldwide's organizational infrastructure, ranging from consulting services to the placement of Interim CEOs.