Alumni in the spotlight: James De Rosa

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have worked as an executive for 14 years with a successful track record in international sales and business development leadership, with a particular expertise in start-up ventures through mid-sized growth companies. 

When did you work for Deloitte? What was your title and role in the firm?

I worked at Deloitte from 1999 to 2000. I was a senior consultant, primarily involved in engagements in operational and process improvement for a variety of clients.

What was the highlight of your career experience with Deloitte?

My initial engagement was to conduct an operational assessment of their manufacturing processes. Shortly after completing that engagement, the company announced a strategic shift to the Kanata facility (where we conducted our study) to focus on their new product introduction and prototyping rather than full-scale manufacturing. This was precisely one of the key recommendations that came out of our study. We never know how much of a role we play in these types of strategic decisions, but it was a great feeling to be at least part of something so significant.

Which organization did you join after you left Deloitte?

I left Deloitte in early 2000 to be part of a new start-up – BlueTree Wireless – in the emerging (at the time) wireless data arena. It was an opportunity to be part of a five-person team building a brand new company in a specific segment of the telecom industry I had previously identified as “the next big thing” I wanted to be a part of – machine-to-machine wireless data.

What do you do now? What is the best part of your current role?

In 2004, I joined Vantrix. For almost seven years now, I have been part of a team that has successfully grown and exploited our world-leading software-based network technology for optimization of mobile multimedia. After successfully surfing four successive waves of innovation in mobile multimedia, we are now one of the pre-eminent global leaders in video optimization.

How would you describe the secret of your success?

At a personal level, I attribute my successes to pragmatism, versatility and hard work. Pragmatism is valuable in sifting through noise to focus on tasks that are going to make a difference as well as to assess which market opportunities are worthwhile. Versatility is important in terms of being able to play many roles and span the spectrum of functions across the organization. Regarding hard work, I believe that it is the key to success in anything and that strong tactical execution can often overcome an imperfect strategy – but the opposite is less often true. The other obvious recipes for success, as always, are elements of luck and being surrounded by good people.

Have you stayed connected with former Deloitte colleagues? If so, how?

Yes, I remain in contact with many former colleagues. It is a great network of friends and professional contacts. I keep telling myself I will do a better job of staying in touch but, admittedly, I am not doing a good job of it. Fortunately, the Deloitte alumni association is there to help out.