Ask.co.uk

Ask Jeeves UK™ (www.Ask.co.uk) is an internet search engine providing users with a relevant and easy to use search experience by applying knowledge of search behaviour with innovative technology.

Ask.co.uk combines our proprietary natural language technology, search policies, algorithmic search (powered by proprietary technology, Teoma) and related search technologies with unique products such as Smart Search, Search Tools and editorially approved results to deliver relevant and comprehensive results in a more easy-to-use way than any other search engine.

As a company we are continually innovating and improving our product to help take search away from the tradition “ten blue links” approach and delivering the most relevant results straight to the page.

2004 has seen the addition of a range of new products designed to improve the users search experience including:

Smart Search – aimed to make it easier and more intuitive to find information online. Smart searches intuitively work out exactly what information the user is likely to want and delivers it straight to the page, enabling users to conduct effective searches, faster. Current smart searches include news, weather, stocks and shares, product, pictures, related search, famous people, dictionary and movies with the repertoire being extended all the time.

Binoculars – Ask Jeeves is the very first search engine to offer a specialised site preview function, Binoculars which make wading through search results far easier. The clever tool allows users to achieve the desired result of their web search much more quickly, by being able to see a mini preview pane of any site before choosing whether to click through and open the link up fully.

MyAskJeeves™ - enables people as they search to create their own "Personal Web" a compilation of search queries and search results that they can easily save, categorise into folders, annotate, and share. A free service, MyAskJeeves is seamlessly integrated into the Ask Jeeves search experience and does not require registration. This capability is not currently available on any other major European search engine.

Have you always wanted to run your own business? What were some of your previous jobs / companies?

Running Ask Jeeves Internet Ltd is challenging, great fun and very rewarding. To run a business was not a specific career objective it developed from having a strong commercial background and from sheer hard work and commitment.

My career experience is predominantly within Marketing and Commercial functions of major multinational packaged goods companies. Working in Marketing meant that I connected with all parts of the organisation gaining experience and insight into all the functions within the company. Having a broad based view of a company helps in objective, commercial decision making

My first job was as a member of RAF mountain rescue, where I stayed for three years during which time I traveled extensively throughout the UK and the European Alps.

From there I moved on to the Food division of Imperial Group which at that time was a multinational business with interests in Drink, Food and Tobacco. I was working across their major snack products including brands like Golden Wonder Crisps, Wotsits and Pot Noodles in most of the Commercial functions including Marketing, Research, Media and Sales. For a period of two years I was also responsible for New Product Development.

I then moved to Cadbury Schweppes working predominantly on confectionary brands in the UK eventually ending up as Head of Marketing looking after brands like Wispa, Flake, Dairy Milk and so on.

During my time there I ran a dynamic product development program and was heavily involved in the launch of major new chocolate brands including Twirl, Time Out and Boost. In addition to the operational elements of the business there was also significant involvement in the strategic direction of the Company

My next move took me into the European Dairy market, working at Unigate as Group Marketing Director for St.Ivel. I was also a business unit general manager and in 1996 I was centrally involved in the £75 million acquisition of Kraft's spreads business.

I joined Ask Jeeves as VP of Marketing in March 2000 and by the end of that year had progressed to Senior VP Commercial. In this role I was responsible for building the Ask Jeeves brand in the UK and leading the marketing, sales and business development teams. In September 2001 I was promoted to CEO of Ask Jeeves Internet.

Have you got any qualifications? Please tell us about yourself academically?

Like many business leaders of my generation I left school at an early age. My formal qualifications include an OND in Business Studies and the London Business School Senior Executive Program

How / when did the idea of your website / company come about?

Ask Jeeves in the UK was originally launched as a joint venture between Ask Jeeves Inc, Carlton Communications and Granada Media (recently merged into ITV). In February 2002 Ask Jeeves UK became a wholly owned subsidiary.

If you could give readers of this book one piece of advice what would it be?

Life is not a rehearsal, life without risks is boring!

Who are your role models / mentors and why?

My mentor in the early part of my career was a guy called Gordon Cairns. Gordon is now Chief Executive Officer of Lion Nathan Brewing, an Australian based alcoholic beverages company with operations in Australia, New Zealand and China. Gordon and I worked together at Golden Wonder. He was a great motivator, had good coaching skills and an excellent and creative commercial mind. He constantly challenged me at an early point in my career and gave me real focus and clarity. Early in our relationship he struck me as an inspirational leader who led by example. This engendered huge commitment from his team and a real conviction that we could win.

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