ABOUT US

/ABOUT US
ABOUT US 2020-11-01T19:58:36+00:00

Golden Reach: Engagement and Growth

Golden Reach Ltd was incorporated in Denver, CO on November 12th, 2003. We formed when ex-colleagues from a couple of companies offered to provide outsourcing opportunities. Two of us had just completed a “most of the world adventure and hedonism trip” which proved to be a far easier way to enter back into the real world of business. The focus has always been on high tech and business. Fred Ledbetter, one of our original founders, earned an MBA from University of Puget Sound and an ME in Computer Science from University of Colorado, so it seemed like a normal way to go – how do you make money off high tech stuff? We have played leading edge roles in technology commercialization as outsourced advisors, consultants, and also executive employees.

Commercializing Leading Edge Technologies

Since 2003 some of the interesting technologies we have helped commercialize include fixed/wireless “convergence”, DSL for faster TV playback in competition with cable, online vertical content search, faster and faster broadband (from fixed line to fiber), and FTTx ( all flavors of fiber to a building), faster and faster mobile wireless data, and then onto WiFi, artificial intelligence (back in favor after a cold 10-15 year winter), VoIP and most recently, all about WiFi: a revenue producing marketing hotspot landing page, a 14,000 access point meshed network and a blockchain-enabled global WiFi network free to end users. With payments in cryptocurrency.  We also are doing business development for MAGMA, a 100% clean W2E (Waste to Energy) facility and a patented drag reduction agent for oil pipelines. Our view has always been that technologies are cool. They dazzle, they confuse, they seem like a brilliant idea. They are really cool when they make you some money. It is a dizzying journey with the sheer weight of technology advances every year.

The very best “About US” stories are success stories from our customers.

FRED LEDBETTER

Managing Partner. Technology commercialization, product innovation and development, customer experience, marketing

email: FLedbetter@goldenreach.com

Award-winning, strategic marketing and commercial operations executive with significant success in driving business strategy and change with a focus on innovation. Develop and implement highly successful initiatives while building strong partnerships with business leaders to scale organizations for growth. Build, mentor and direct cross functional, high-performance teams. Adept in developing strong relationships at all levels.
Technology Commercialization from most recent to historical:

  • Patented drag reduction agent for oil pipelines
  • “MAGMA” 100% clean waste to energy
  • Global distribution model for World WiFi “free” global WiFi network
  • Successful ICO for World WiFi with hardcap raise of $25m. World WiFi is a “free” global WiFi provider – ICO Advisor
  • Deployment of Virgin Connect VNO for Internet broadband in Russia
  • Acolyte of 10 Types of Innovation  (Monitor/Deloitte)
  • Acolyte of Net Promoter Score for monetizing customer experience
  • Largest meshed public WiFi network in the world (2009)
  • Vertical content search company for real estate and personnel security USA
  • VoIP as third party mobile app Russia
  • First online public auction and reverse auction for corporate purchasing departments in Czech Republic
  • Developed first Czech online advertising operator, enabling proliferation of banner ad sales.
  • First trans-European broadband and data center network for SME’s
  • First network of cellular (AMPS based) in second tier Russian cities
  • First commercial fiber ring with international voice overlay network in Kiev
  • First cellular company  (NMT based) in Russia
  • GUI User interface and system integration to support customer service team
  • Case based AI to solve telephone switch errors
  • First online shopping application for Trintex (a jv of IBM, CBS and Sears)

Other management specializations – business development for Beallara Group (high end residential real estate in Mauritius), Consul for Moscow Wine Lovers, a special interest group in Internations with 580 members from over 70 countries, Porsche driving, scuba diving, snow skiing


ILYA SMIRNOV

Expert Legal Counsel, Telecom, Internet, nuclear power

email: Ilya_Smirnov@goldenreach.com

Ilya Smirnov has extensive in-house legal counsel experience in hi-tech industries (telecommunications, Internet and nuclear). Prior to Golden Reach, Ilya was Deputy CEO, General Counsel of Akkuyu Nuclear, JSC for the past 7.5 years. Akkuyu is a Turkish company incorporated by the Rosatom group of companies pursuant to the Intergovernmental Agreement between Russia and Turkey dated May 12, 2010. Ilya has been responsible for the legal support of construction and operation of a 4 unit x 1200 MW nuclear power plant (NPP) of Russian design in the Turkish Republic, including all corporate governance issues. It is the first NPP project in the world implemented by the “build-own-operate” model. In April 2018 the company was granted a construction license and laid first concrete in the foundation of unit 1.
Prior to joining Rosatom in 2011, Ilya has held executive positions for the U.S. listed fixed-line and mobile telecommunications companies including Golden Telecom, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLDN) and VimpelCom (NYSE: VIP) focusing on mergers and acquisitions of the telecommunications and Internet operators in Russia and the CIS and post-merger integration issues. Some of these M&A activities include the following:

  • Tender offer for the purchase of 100% of outstanding shares of Golden Telecom, Inc. (“GT”) by a VimpelCom’s indirect subsidiary for $4.3B;
  • $150M  acquisition of Corbina Telecom;
  • $40M acquisition of 65% of Kolangon, a Russian DVB-T provider;
  • $14M acquisition of 100% of LLC Kubtelecom (Krasnodar);
  • $15M acquisition of 100% of Sibchallenge-Telecom (Krasnoyarsk);
  • $2.7M acquisition of 54% share of Buzton LLC (Uzbekistan);
  • Merger of Comincom and Combellga into Sovintel (legal and operational integration);
  • Merger of Bashinsvyaz, Ural-Relcom, Sibchallenge-Telecom and Tel into Sovintel.

Ilya holds a PhD in international law from Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He is a member of the International Nuclear Law Association (INLA).

Other management skills include sailing, and picking the red wine to go with a good steak.


GEORGIY GUSEV

Complex project management, business process and operational excellence, fund raising in IT, telecoms/Internet, petrochemicals and finance

email: Georgiy_Gusev@goldenreach.com

  • Expert advisor on “clean” Waste to Energy solutions
  • Project management (like I’ve built 2 factories, launched 1 store, launched few products in Golden Telecom and a couple of IT solutions in Golden Telecom and Sky Link)
  • Business processes & operational excellence management
  • Fund raising (like banks, leasing companies and governmental funds and programs)
  • Industries: IT, telecom, petrochemicals, finance
  • General management (like golf, wine and other specialties)

Ahmed Hassan

Senior Advisor for Business Growth

email: ahassan@goldenreach.com

Ahmed is a high impact CEO with 30+ years of international business experience in turnaround situations, with a track record of driving double digit sales growth and profitability. His career has seen him recognized and rewarded for his strong problem solving skills and attention to detail. He has consistently tackled larger and more complex challenges needing transformation, and led them to successful turnaround. He fully understands the current climate and how to drive change through; people management, strategically planning routes to market, driving e-commerce and digital growth.

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