Christophe LANGLOIS (first version)

March 2006: Linkedin becomes profitable

Congratulations to Linkedin's senior executives!
They build a business model based on 3 main sources of revenues: premium services, job services, and advertising. Their strategy has paid and Linkedin will start being profitable in March 2006.

Full news on CNet.com

Linkedin: increased visibility with the new Web Profile

Web Profile: increase your visibility online thanks to Linkedin
I am so enthusiastic when I talk about networking and visibility on the Internet!
One more time, I would like to say "Bravo": this is a very clever feature Linkedin made available to its members.

Now, you can send a personalized link pointing to your resumed profile, and you get to fully customized that page.

"WAYN's World": Travel Friends Reunited

About
Where Are You Now? aims to keep you in touch with your contacts as they move from one place to another by providing a colour map of their whereabouts. As a member, you can contact your friends via Web-based email and SMS, upload pictures and diaries of your travels, inform friends of travel accommodation and contact details through the Web site or meet new people from around the World.   
   
The Founders: Peter Ward & Jerome Touze
I am passionate about Networking & Online Networking. I am quite visible, and always keen to try websites which offer a new concept and/or interface.
Peter and Jerome had an excellent idea: there are so many backpackers who would like to meet new people, share their experience, and keep in touch after their trip(s).
Please find HERE an interesting article/interview from Peter, dated 2003.
 
Key facts
* Launched in September 2003
* WAYN: Where Are You Now?
* Main nationalities: America, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Australian, Canadian, "Kiwi"
* Business model: 3 kinds of membership (Free, Full, Exclusive VIP) + SMS service + special offers from third parties
* Members: they claim more than 3.25 million registered members
* Turnover: more than £1million a year
* More than 16,000 people are signing up everyday

My remarks
Please find below my comments after trying the interface for 30 minutes only. The founders did a good job to urge their members to subscribe for a full membership thanks to very limited features for free.
If you don't subscribe
First, if you do not pay your membership, you can't do much!
* You can send "Hello" messages for free
* You can send a standard eCard
* You only have 1Mo of storage
If you subscribe
I was impressed by the number of VIPs, which means you don't really get to be on top of the first page...
* You can send real/personalized messages
* You can send personalized ecards
* You can create a blog ("WAYN List Beta" service)
* You can send SMS

Download Skype on openBC now!

I have just received today an email from openBC, announcing a partnership with Skype!

   

   

Annoucement: the first of its kind
That is why openBC and Skype have now joined forces. openBC is the
first networking platform with comprehensive Skype integration. And as an
openBC member, you can now download the very latest Skype 2.0 version
directly from the platform to compliment your personal network and make
maintaining contacts even easier.

Limitations: Skype
These are just some of the Skype features you will be able to benefit
from instantly on openBC:
* Free Internet voice calls with superior call quality.
* Instant messaging, chat and conference calls with up to 50 people at
a time.
* Free video calling: a new feature on this latest version of Skype.
* Free speedy transfer of big files.
* Secure and encrypted communication - so nobody's able to listen in.

My comments
First, I was pleased to find out that like openBC, it was ad free.

Business Model

How easy it is to install?
On openBC, you go to the download section to make sure you have the latest version of Skype.
Then, I found the installation quite complicated: I had been redirected to the Skype website, and I did not know what to do back to the openBC website.

BTW, today Skype has released a new version of his popular software, with video.

How well integrated is it within the openBC interface?
For the moment, openBC do not push for that service.

What is the future for their teleconference service?
The only place where I could find the telephone facilities was on the main page, at the bottom left.

Tariff for a couple of countries
France, USA,... 0,064 euros/minute

How can I use Skype on openBC?
The latest version of Skype is always directly available for download on openBC. Please click here for the latest download:
http://www.openbc.com/cgi-bin/user.fpl?op=downloads
Enter your Skype username in your private contact data.
http://www.openbc.com/cgi-bin/user.fpl?op=profile3c
Release your Skype username under the instant messaging feature. (...)

AirTroductions - "There's Something in the Air"

About
"That's me (Peter), the one who's not Miss Texas 2002. Since sitting next to her on a trip from Houston to New York, I've taken over 300 airplane trips, and have yet to sit next to someone that beautiful.
But – I have sat next to other CEO's, marketing directors, movie stars, clothing impresarios, and tons of other people. (...)
That's why I started AirTroductions. We all fly so much, I figure there's got to be a better way to use all that time in the air.
So whether you're looking for a date in Los Angeles, a business networking partner in Tokyo, or just someone to share a cab from Kennedy to Midtown, look no further. You've found AirTroductions. If you've got any ideas on how to make AirTroductions even better, then we want to hear from you!"

As part of my job, I travel extensively: I know airports quite well, and sitting on planes for hours. It could be dead boring, but occasionnaly, when you seat next to someone interesting and friendly you start talking... And it feels like the trip last 10mn!

I love networking, and I like Peter's idea very much. I was sitting on a plane from London to Chicago in January 2006 when I read an article about AirTroductions in American Airlines magazine.

So, you can stick to randomness (which is quite exciting in a way), or you can decide to plan in advance an interesting and entertaining flight with a person who match your criteria!

Franco-British Student Alliance

Franco-British Student Alliance
I was particulary impressed by the work done by Yves Djimi founding chairman of the Franco-British Student Alliance.

I met Yves at the drinks organized by Sciences Po Alumni London in January 2006.

An ambition
* The ambition to foster innovative Franco-British ideas and solutions.
* The ambition to become an important intermediary, a catalyst in the relationship between the two great nations.
* The ambition to create a new motor for the European community, fueled by a dynamic axis between France and the United Kingdom.

Sciences Po Alumni London - New Team & New Blog

Sciences Po Alumni London
Congratulations to the new Sciences Po Alumni's "Bureau" in London. It succeeds to the previous "bureau" lead by Florent Belleteste for many years. (congratulations to Florent who has recently left London to Montreal to take on new responsabilities)

As our Dauphine London Alumni's association, they created a blog to communicate more efficiently.
If you have a degree from Sciences Po, I invite you to check the blog: www.scpouk.blogspot.com.

The new team is lead by Arnaud Mora.

Tuesday evening was the first drinks of the year: 20 people attended, and everybody had the opportunity to meet friendly and interesting professionals, fellow Sciences Po alumni.

Sibos 2005 in Copenhagen

I spent the whole of last week in Copenhagen, to attend Sibos, one of the biggest financial event organized every year by SWIFT.
It is a quite unique opportunity to meet all the main players in payments and securities: Banks, IT Vendors, Information Providers.

    

What is Sibos?
With the power to draw over 5,500 participants from the financial industry and some 200 application and middleware vendors, system integrators, financial institutions, consultants and central clearing systems, Sibos is the opportunity for you to reach the financial services industry.
Over 90% of all delegates visit the exhibition over the week of Sibos. They come to Sibos to do business — to learn about new products and services, to experience them for themselves and to buy.

Business Trips: a busy September

As usual, I will be traveling quite extensively in September.

* Copenhagen for 6 days (from Sunday 4th to Friday 9th), for the Sibos (the biggest SWIFT event organized every year with over 4000 people)
* Geneva for 3 days (from Tuesday 13th to Thursday 15th), for a banking conference
* Barcelona for 4 days (from Tuesday 27th to Friday 30th), for the Global Money Laundering conference

If you want to meet in those cities, do not hesitate to contact me!

28/09/05 Ceram UK - Networking event (London)

Dear all,

Please find below an invitation to the 1st networking event organized by the dynamic team of "Ceram UK". The venue is pretty nice, and I am confident it will be another excellent occasion to meet friendly and interesting people, from various industries.

As the number of participants is limited, please send an email to [email protected] ASAP, in order to be registered! (and please copy me - [email protected])

Thanks,
Christophe

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Dear all,
Thanks to the efforts of a few "Ceramiens", it is my pleasure to invite you all to our first public event which will take place on Wednesday September 28^th at the prestigious "Le Meridien" hotel on Piccadilly.
The evening will start at 18.30pm with an exiting perspective on the latest development in Marketing delivered by Peter Spier, Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean at CERAM, who has accepted our invitation. It will also be an opportunity to hear about the latest development at the CERAM.

The event is obviously open to all Ceramiens in England as well as those who may be "passing through", and we will also invite a few other selected Business School representatives in England (e.g HEC, ESSEC etc).

Best regards,
Didier