Benchmark founder relocates to London

Benchmark Capital, the early-stage high-technology venture capital firm, has announced that Bruce Dunlevie, one of its founding general partners, will relocate to the firm's London office for one year, and will divide his time between the firm's European and U.S. businesses.

Benchmark closed its European Fund, Benchmark Europe I, in May last year at E831m. From summer 2001, Dunlevie will work with Benchmark's European partners, Eric Archambeau and George Coelho, to evaluate the high volume of new deals, recruit new partners, offer strategic guidance and help portfolio companies expand more quickly into U.S. markets.

Dunlevie believes that to practice venture capital investors need to have a global perspective and a wide network of contacts and range of experience. “I am thrilled to be the first U.S. partner to join our European office and help take advantage of the enormous potential in Europe.”

And the technology investor will be recruiting more staff to its European office. George Coelho said: “We are very excited about the opportunities here in Europe and will be announcing additional full-time partners for Europe in the very near future.”

Prior to founding Benchmark in 1995, Dunlevie spent six years as a general partner with Merrill, Pickard, Anderson & Eyre (MPAE). Before that, he served as general manager of the personal computer division of Everex Systems, which he founded and grew to a multi-hundred million-dollar business unit.