December 12, 2007

Comcast's Web Heads

Amy Banse    
Title:  President, Comcast Interactive Media
Years in Industry: 16

Sam Schwartz
Title: President, Comcast Interactive Capital; EVP, Comcast
Interactive Media
Age: 44
Years in Industry: 9 
Years left in Industry: “Until we win.”

Why Them? Virtual reality at the largest MSO keeps improving under these two experts. Banse, who before heading Comcast Interactive Media oversaw its content investments, now helps Comcast reach consumers via alternative platforms. CIM’s thePlatform is helping power NBCU-News Corp’s Hulu venture, and Banse recently shepherded the big display and advertising partnership between Comcast.net and Yahoo! She also serves as secretary of WICT’s Board of Trustees. Ambidextrous Schwartz not only guides the reach of Comcast’s entertainment, information and communications businesses into interactive media, but he also runs Comcast’s venture capital arm. Now that’s heavy lifting.  CAO

Amy Banse
I knew the cable industry was for me when: “I met Brian Roberts.”
The cable industry's biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Innovating cross-platform services.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “Fancast.com”
Top personal achievement in 2007: “Increasing internet revenue by double-digits.”
Person (other than my current boss) who I'd most like to work for: Bruce Springsteen
In my free time, I like to: “Play with my kids.”
Favorite city: “Philadelphia”
Three things I would take with me to a desert island: “My laptop, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and my family.”
Favorite song: “Thunder Road” - Bruce Springsteen
Favorite TV show: “Grey's Anatomy”
Favorite movie:  Shakespeare In Love
I wish cable would: “Launch a wireless handset.”
Favorite piece of tech: “My iPod.”
The three most played songs on my iPod are: “Rehab,” “Girls In Their Summer Clothes,” “With or Without You”

Sam Schwartz
The cable industry's biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Beginning to reinvent ourselves not just as a service but as a software company.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “Switched digital... because it brings the paradigm of the internet video to our TV's.”
Defining career moment: “The 30 minutes I spent with Julian Brodsky before he hired me to start Comcast Ventures.”
Person (other than my current boss) who I'd most like to work for: “POTUS... In my role, as Chairman of the FCC.”
My perfect vacation goes like this: “Seven days anywhere with my family of five and no Blackberry.”

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