Seashols has a proven track record for identifying the key issues that cause the "tipping point" for market acceptance of revolutionary and disruptive technologies. These shifts often require new business models and the creation of new collaboration partnerships that enable the "whole product solution" to be efficiently developed and implemented. Many believe that the current state of real-time virtualization is just such a tipping point; the benefits of server virtualization for back-end data centers are now being sought for front-end systems such as networking equipment, mobile phones and other devices. Seashols' experience and perspective as the first vice president of marketing and sales at Oracle has allowed him to participate as an innovator in the creation of the relational database market, as well as enabled new business models like Software as a Service (SaaS).

 

Seashols assumed his first CEO role as the founder of one of the first object-oriented database vendors, Versant, and then was the initial CEO of Documentum, the leader in defining content management software. He spent the first 11 years of his career with IBM in a variety of technology and management roles after graduating from Manchester College with a Mathematics degree.

 

"I am excited to join VirtualLogix as the company has a unique opportunity to capitalize on its leadership position in real-time virtualization software," said Mike Seashols. "VMware and XenSource [now part of Citrix] have introduced the benefits of virtualization software to enterprise server markets, revolutionizing the way that servers are now deployed. The device computing market represents an emerging opportunity that we believe is even a larger opportunity to leverage virtualization software. These markets have several key unique challenges that need to be addressed: support for a wide range of silicon chip sets; simultaneous support for multiple operating system platforms including RTOSes (Real Time Operating Systems) and open OSes (Linux and Windows), delivery of dynamic device and I/O management to optimize performance, more efficient power consumption and improved trust for increased security and predictable behavior. VirtualLogix VLX software was uniquely designed from the ground up to meet these special requirements."

 

Seashols continued: "As devices of all types become more feature-rich and connected, the need for real-time virtualization software solutions will explode as device OEMs and service providers seek to accelerate the introduction of new functionality with lower cost multicore chip sets, lower power utilization, higher security walls and more effective maintainability."

 

Seashols joins existing board members Giuseppe Zocco (General Partner, Index Ventures), Alexander Bruhl (Senior Partner, Atlas Venture), Tom Bradley (Partner, DFJ Esprit), Juha Christensen and Michel Gien (Co-founder and Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, VirtualLogix). As part of his new responsibility as chairman, Seashols will chair the advisory board of strategic investors, which includes representatives from Intel, Cisco, Motorola and TI. As a result of the departure of previous CEO Peter Richards in November, Seashols has assumed the role of interim CEO while the search for a new CEO proceeds to successful completion.