What do Playboy, Forbes Magazine and Westport have in common?
Mike Perlis.
Mike Perlis (Photo by Walter Smith)
Next week, the 1971 Staples grad becomes Forbes Media‘s chairman and CEO. He assumes the duties of CEO Steve Forbes, a member of the business media company’s founding family and 2-time Republican presidential candidate, as well as COO Tim Forbes. Both will have lesser roles in daily management.
Mike’s present post is general partner at SoftBank Capital, a venture capital firm. Before that he was CEO at Ziff-Davis Publishing.
Much more impressive — at least to his former Staples classmates, like me — was his stint as president of the Playboy publishing group.
“Mike is the perfect guy to keep pushing us forward and to take us to new heights,” Tim Forbes said.
“This is a guy who’s really well versed in the digital world. We take his coming as a real affirmation of what we’re doing here and what he thinks the opportunity is going forward.”
Congratulations, Mike, on your new position with Forbes. The Capitalist Tool.
Congrats, Mike! Wishing you all the best in your new position.
When you’re in high school, you can’t imagine what kind of lives you and your classmates will end up having. I remember being blown away when Mike said he was the publisher of Playboy at our 20th reunion. He almost didn’t want anyone to know and was very humble about it. And now this. Pretty incredible and well-deserved, I’m sure. Thanks for posting this, Dan.
thanks Margaret. it’s going to be fun. hope all’s well with you. Mike
Thanks Fred. Coleytown elementary seems like just a few years ago!