Boris Wertz Departs AbeBooks.com
After five years as COO of AbeBooks.com, the world’s largest Internet marketplace for books, Boris Wertz is transitioning out of a day-to-day operational role to start a Vancouver-based venture capital business with Burda Digital Ventures. Wertz joined AbeBooks.com in July 2002 after JustBooks, an online marketplace for books that he had co-founded in Germany, was acquired by AbeBooks.com. Wertz will continue as a member of the AbeBooks.com board and as an advisor on key projects. Burda Digital Ventures is the Venture Capital arm of Hubert Burda Media, one of Germany’s leading media companies. Since 1999 the company has invested in more than 30 companies that today define their respective markets in terms of applied technology, customer dedication and speed. Combined turnover of the current 21 portfolio companies in 2006 will surpass US$ 390 million. Wertz’s new venture with Burda Digital Ventures will target consumer Internet investment opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. Disclosure: Boris Wertz is a Director of Techvibes Media Inc.
