13 Facts About Robert Cohn

Robert Cohn is a Canadian born entrepreneur and businessman known for founding Octel Communications, the company that commercialized voice mail and was largely responsible for making it ubiquitous on cell phones, in companies and on residential phones.

Robert Cohn served as Chairman and CEO of Octel from its inception in 1982 until the company was purchased by Lucent Technologies in 1997.

Robert Cohn then served as an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies, Inc and retired April 30,1999.

From 2002 to 2004, Cohn was a partner with Sequoia Capital.

Robert Cohn has a BS degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Florida and an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.

Robert Cohn was made an Executive Vice President of Lucent Technologies and President of the Octel Messaging Division.

Robert Cohn actively advises a select group of first-time CEOs, primarily in Silicon Valley, including Mux, Ironclad, Monte Carlo Data, Spindle Technologies, Clockwise, Vorlon, Joyned, and Acurex Biosciences Corporation.

Robert Cohn is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Business Executives for National Security.

Robert Cohn was previously a Senior Advisor to Coatue Management, a New York-based, tech-only hedge fund, a trustee of Robert Ballard's Ocean Exploration Trust, a member of the Defense Reform CEO Panel for United States Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, and a Board Member Emeritus of Business Executives for National Security, a volunteer organization of business leaders that works with the Department of Defense.

Robert Cohn has served on the boards of many companies, private and public.

Robert Cohn was a member of the Board of Governors of NASDAQ from 1990 through 1993 where he served on the Executive Committee; a member of the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business from 1993 to 1999; a board member of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

Robert Cohn was a trustee of the Ballet San Jose, Castilleja School, and the International School of the Peninsula.

Robert Cohn was previously a member of the American Business Conference, the Council on Competitiveness, and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he was an industry governor in the Data and Communications sector for five years.