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David Phillips is a seasoned Internet executive having served for the last twelve years in senior executive positions with AOL Inc., AOL Europe (JV with Bertelsman), Napster, and IGN Entertainment (Fox Interactive Media).
After practicing law with Hogan & Hartson in Washington DC 1988-91. David jumped to the technology world to serve as a VP for Business Development at ComTech, an early stage technology provider in Northern Virginia. In 1994 David joined America Online, Inc. as AOL's second lawyer and Assistant General Counsel, where he focused on content licensing deals and emerging online legal and policy issues (privacy, intellectual property, law enforcement).
From 1994-1997 David served as an AOL and ISP industry spokesperson on legal and policy issues and served as the first co-chair of the American Bar Association's Committee on Interactive Services.
In 1997, David joined AOL Europe, a joint venture partnership with Bertelsmann AG, as AOL UK’s first General Counsel. David was promoted to become AOL Europe's first General Counsel in 1998. In 1999, following the acquisition of CompuServe Europe, David stepped in as President and Acting Managing Director of AOL UK, directing its post-merger integration with CompuServe UK, developing Netscape Online, AOL's first subscription-free ISP service, and lobbying for public policy and regulatory change.
David left AOL in 2000, immediately prior to AOL's merger with Time Warner, to become CEO of Crunch Music Ltd. (iCrunch.com) an early digital music provider with whom AOL UK partnered and was its first equity investment.
Crunch Music (iCrunch.com) became an early leader in the UK's online music sector and, in 2000, was nominated as the UK’s top online music service by both New Media Age and Future Publishing. In 2001 Crunch Music was acquired by Music Choice PLC, Europe's leading digital audio broadcaster started by News Corp, Warner Music and Sony. Later that year, David relocated with his wife Mary to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he joined his family and soon became a proud father of twins.
In 2002, David joined Napster, serving as its Vice President for Music Services, where he directed the launch of its paid music service as a beta trial.
Most recently from June 2004 until May 2006, David served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy (and General Counsel) for IGN Entertainment Inc., a leading online digital entertainment network. As head of Corporate Strategy at IGN, Phillips helped manage the Company's highly successful Internet media roll-up and sale to News Corp/Fox in late 05 for $650 million .
Philips found Naturalpath in 06 and has recruited a talented team of passionate professionals. Naturalpath.com is borne out of Phillips’ passion for finding trusted expert and community-filtered information about alternative health therapies for his family.
Phillips lives in Marin County with his wife, Mary, and their three young children.
