Executive moves, Aug. 20, 2007

Laskey hops on board Steamboat

Beau Laskey has joined Steamboat Ventures as a managing director. Los Angeles-based Steamboat, the venture capital arm of The Walt Disney Co., is currently investing $400M in digital media, content and entertainment. Laskey was previously a managing director with early stage firm EDF Ventures, where he led investments in such companies as Greenplum, RockeTalk, VoEx and Zyray Wireless.

VenturesWest adds EIR

has joined Ventures West in Vancouver as an entrepreneur-in-residence, with a focus on the life sciences sector. He most recently served as president and CEO of Gemin X Biotechnologies Inc., an oncology drug company with offices in Philadelphia and Montreal.

Genstar hires Clark

Paul Clark has joined Genstar Capital as an operating partner to focus on the life sciences market. He previously served as chairman and CEO of the biotech company ICOS Corp., which was acquired earlier this year by Eli Lilly.

Marks drives Tesla as CEO

has been named interim CEO of electric sports car maker Tesla Motors, with current CEO Martin Eberhard becoming the company’s president of technology. Tesla will continue searching for a full-time CEO replacement. Marks, the former CEO of Flextronics, joined Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. in early 2006 and was an early Tesla investor. He will remain with KKR. Tesla has raised about $100 million in total VC funding from such firms as Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Technology Partners, JPMorgan Partners, Valor Equity Partners and VantagePoint Venture Partners.

Scheele joins Ripplewood as advisor

, former Ford Motors president and COO, has joined Ripplewood Holdings as an advisor. He is expected to help the firm in its efforts to acquire the Jaguar and Land Rover automotive brands from Ford, as is former Ford CEO Jac Nasser, who is working with rival bidder One Equity Partners. Other firms believed to be submitting bids include Cerberus Capital Management, TPG Capital and Tata Motors of India.

Edison welcomes Foster as Biz Dev Manager

Lawrenceville, N.J.-based Edison Venture Fund has hired Tim Foster as business development manager. The firm raised a $258 million expansion stage fund last year. Most recently, he was manager of industry development of 1Sync, which provides software consutling services.