Join the “Godfather” for breakfast

Monday 24 February 2014

An Israeli entrepreneur – known as the “Godfather of the hi-tech industry” is coming to Jersey in April to speak at a business breakfast.

Yossi Vardi is one of Israel's early entrepreneurs and has over 40 years’ experience of co-founding, leading and participating in building more than 80 high-tech companies. He also co-pioneered instant messaging as the founding investor and the former chairman of Mirabilis Limited, the creator of the highly popular instant messaging programme ICQ now owned by AOL.

The event, Business Breakfast: An interview with Yossi Vardi, discussing how to create a Digital Economy in Jersey’, will be held at the Pomme d’Or Hotel on Friday 4 April, and will feature Dr Vardi discussing innovation and providing advice for Jersey on creating a digital ecosystem.

The business breakfast is part of a wider programme of events for the Island Innovators [un]Conference which takes place from 3 to 6 April, and which is being hosted by Mr Vardi.

Dr Vardi said he was looking forward to his first visit to the Island. 

“I am delighted to be hosting this year’s Island Innovators [un]Conference in Jersey, I hope it will the first of many events we organise on the island.  It’s my first time visiting Jersey and I’m looking forward to meeting many people I have met in Israel and London over the past few years," he said.

Senator Alan Maclean stated:  “We are thrilled to welcome Yossi Vardi to Jersey for this unique event. This is a wonderful opportunity for local Jersey businesses, digital thinkers and rising stars to learn from his huge wealth of expertise and experience, as the ‘Godfather of the hi-tech industry’. By hosting the Island Innovators [un]Conference here in Jersey, I believe this will help to put Jersey on the digital map globally as a centre for digital innovation and to forge new relationships for the Island with world leading digital thinkers.”