Thomas H Layton

Thomas Layton is the Executive Chairman of oDesk, a global marketplace that helps employers hire, manage, and pay remote freelancers or teams. He was previously the CEO of Metaweb Technologies from 2007 until it was acquired by Google in 2010. From 2001 through 2007 he was the CEO of OpenTable, the leading provider of guest and table management systems to restaurants and free, online reservations to consumers. Prior to OpenTable, Thomas co-founded CitySearch, Inc., which later merged with TicketMaster to become TicketMaster Online-CitySearch, now a subsidiary of InterActiveCorp. (formerly USA Networks). In his role as President and COO at TMCS he helped grow the organization to become the leading online local content property, serving more than 128 cities worldwide. From 1994-1995 Thomas was with Score Learning Corporation, a leading educational services company, first as Chief Financial Officer and later as President and Chief Operating Officer. Thomas also has extensive experience in other entrepreneurial firms and in venture capital. In 2004, Thomas co-founded the non-profit, TakeBackCA.org, whose mission is to elimiate the influence of special interest money in California elections. Thomas holds an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and a BS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in Palo Alto with his wife and four daughters. Thomas is a member of the 2003 class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.