MeriTech Appoints Managing Director –

PALO ALTO, Calif. – MeriTech Capital in mid-March hired its second managing director, Mike Gordon, formerly of BT Alex. Brown.

Mr. Gordon will join MeriTech Managing Director Paul Madera in overseeing the late-stage fund, which is a joint effort of Accel Partners, Brentwood Venture Capital, Oak Investment Partners and Worldview Technology Partners (VCJ, April, page 5).

The fund, launched this spring, targets $1 billion and will back the technology portfolio companies of the vehicle’s sponsoring venture firms.

Mr. Gordon was previously head of BT Alex. Brown’s communications equity research group and tracked companies such as Ciena Corp. and Lucent Technologies, Mr. Madera said. Before that, Mr. Gordon was affiliated with Robertson Stephens, now known as BancBoston Robertson Stephens.

MeriTech recruiters had focused on attracting Mr. Gordon to the firm because his name landed at the top of a list of prospective candidates to join Mr. Madera, who had been a former investment banker with NationsBanc Montgomery Securities.

Mr. Madera, who has known Mr. Gordon for five years, praised his new co-worker’s “technical insight” and said his personality was a good fit for MeriTech. Mr. Gordon could not be reached for comment at press time.