VC Bio: Jim Breyer

Jim has been an investor in over thirty consumer internet, media, and technology companies that have completed public offerings or successful mergers. Many of these investments returned over 20 times their cost to investors. In April 2011, Forbes published its Midas List of top technology investors and ranked Jim Breyer #1. In August 2010, Fortune Magazine named Breyer the #1 smartest investor in technology, and one of the 10 smartest people in all of technology.

Jim is currently on the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc (WMT), where he is the Lead/Presiding Independent Director, and serves on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, and the Technology Operations Committee. Jim also serves on the board of Dell Inc (DELL), where he is the Chair of the Finance Committee, and where he serves on the Incubation Advisory Board, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. Jim recently was elected to the Board of News Corporation (NWS) in October, 2011. Previously, Mr. Breyer served on the Board of Marvel Entertainment (MVL) up until their acquisition by Disney (DIS), and he was founding Chairman of Marvel’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Jim is currently the lead/co-lead investor/Director in several privately-held companies such as Brightcove (since 2005), Etsy (since 2007), Facebook (since April 2005) where he is the founding Chairman of the Compensation Committee, and Legendary Pictures. He is also an investor/project manager in international internet media companies such as RenRen (China), Vostu (Brazil) and several others.

Jim is on the Strategic Investment Committee/Board of Accel-KKR and IDG-Accel China Fund, and is a founding Insight Partner of Technology Crossover Investors (TCV).

Earlier, Jim worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York, and in product marketing and management at Apple, Inc.. and Hewlett Packard.

Jim is the former Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, a former President of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists, and on the Board of the Associates of the Harvard Business School, Pacific Community Ventures, Stanford Technology Ventures Program, Technet and a Trustee of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), and of The Menlo School and Menlo School Executive Committee. Jim is Chairman of the Stanford Engineering Venture Fund, former Chairman of the Harvard Business School California Research Center, and is the former Chairman of the Silicon Valley region committee for Stanford University's Campaign for Undergraduate Education. He is also a member governor of several World Economic Forum committees. In December 2005, Jim was appointed an Honorary Professor at the 1,000 year-old Yuelu Academy, Hunan University, China. He graduated with highest distinction from Stanford University with a B.S. degree and from Harvard University with an M.B.A. where he was named a Baker Scholar (top 5% of class).

Jim is passionate about contemporary art, film, wine, travel, and music. He actively supports numerous education and environmental non-profit initiatives.

Stay in touch with Accel news, jobs, and events through Facebook at www.facebook.com/Accel