Former Apple software exec joins investment firm [u]
updated 03:55 pm EST, Tue January 12, 2010
Adds to Palm connections
(Updated with plans) A former chief software technology officer for Apple, Avadis Tevanian, has announced plans to join a private equity firm connected to Palm. Tevanian will become a managing director at Elevation Partners, having most recently served on the Dolby board of directors, and earlier on the board for Tellme Networks. The executive was with Apple for nine years, serving as the senior VP of software engineering between 1997 and 2003 and as the CSTO until he left in 2006.
Tevanian became instrumental to Apple as a result of being a designer on Mach, the kernel which now underlies Mac OS X. Prior to being recruited into Apple he worked at NeXT Computer, both times at the behest of Steve Jobs. While at Apple Tevanian was responsible for formulating the company's software strategy.
Elevation is notable as a financial backer of Palm, which is currently run by CEO Jon Rubinstein, himself an Apple veteran. Rubinstein was heavily involved in the creation of the iPod, and took control of Palm as a result of an Elevation investment. Modern Palm phones -- particularly the Pre and Pixi -- are believed to be influenced by both the iPod and the iPhone. For some time the Pre was the only third-party phone able to sync directly with iTunes, in spite of Apple objections.
Update: Tevanian insists that he will spend "almost no time" with projects like Palm, and instead work on new Elevation investments, helping various companies with their technology strategies. He is said to have been coaxed into joining Elevation by Fred Anderson, a former Apple CFO.
