Arun is a twenty-five year veteran of the technology industry and leverages an extensive career in software, telecommunications and Web 2.0 efforts to offer significant strengths as a thought leader, a consensus builder and sophisticated dealmaker.

Prior to joining CFA, Arun served as Managing Member of New Vista Holdings, LLC where he managed a varied portfolio of investments in technology companies. As a Board member of SmartStops.net, he provides extensive corporate development advisory services to the management team. Also as non-executive Chairman and Board member of Barrier Software, Inc. – an early stage company focused on zero footprint solutions for online authentication and security, he provides strategic business development and capital formation advisory services. Arun has advised many other companies – in the VoIP space, storage and server technology and in new media content aggregation and distribution.

Arun worked in the telecom and technology industries for over fifteen years as a senior executive, entrepreneur and dealmaker:

• As a Vice President and General Manager of an information technology unit of LDDS Metromedia Communications, Arun had principal responsibilities for an industry-leading billing and customer care software platform. His group developed large eight-figure licensing deals with major European and Latin American telecom operators and successfully negotiated partnerships with major system integrators like EDS and Convergys.
• As Founder & CEO of ICS Information Technologies for 12 years until LDDS Metromedia Communications acquired the firm in 1993, ICS grew to be a leader in providing sophisticated back-office software and services to the global telecom and financial services industries. Summit – ICS’s billing and customer care system became the primary growth engine of the company. Arun led teams that developed key business relationships with leading global organizations in the telecom and financial services sectors including AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Citigroup Comsat, EDS, Convergys, Energis, Marine Midland Bank, MCI, Metromedia, Motorola, Prudential, Royal Insurance Company, Sonera, Sprint, Telecom Eireann & Telenor.
• Arun created the exit strategy and was the lead negotiator for ICS as LDDS Metromedia Communications completed their acquisition, which delivered significant value to shareholders, employees and customers of ICS following the merger with this global 100 corporation.

Community Involvement

• Arun serves as a technology strategy advisor to the Grand Teton National Park and has been involved with a number of pro-bono activities through a private family foundation. Major projects were aimed at economically disadvantaged families in the U.S and at abused children – with his involvement directed at fund-raising and development of programs. He was also on the Board of Trustees of The Madeira School, a private high school in the Washington, DC area where he served on the Finance, Endowment and Buildings and Grounds Committees.

Education

• 1979 – Master of Science, Software Engineering, University of South Carolina.
   Elective coursework in the graduate business school at USC
• 1976 – Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, University of South Carolina.
  Selected for the Governor's Intern Program for gifted and talented students
• 1971-1972 – Coursework in Economics and Mathematics, University of Madras, India