Operating expenses rose 12 percent, primarily reflecting higher pay to executives based on earnings gains.

The DEAP: a multi-disciplinary full-time course for executives, based on projects that the participants bring with them from their respective areas.

Charles Ardai, chief executive of Juno, based in New York, denied the company had infringed the patent.

But the S.E.C. apportioned responsibility to the three executives based on both their seniority and on the degree to which they tried to take action.

A Federal executive, based in Canberra, carries out the day-to-day activities of the organisation.

Rob Stone is an American music, media and branding executive based in New York City.

On the wall are television screens to allow for virtual meetings to be held with senior executives not based in New York.

He was named chief executive of Allbusiness.com, based in San Francisco, on Tuesday.

Jim Safka, chief executive of Match.com, based in Dallas, says online dating is like being on stage and being viewed by thousands of people.

An executive of Shamrock, based in Burbank, Calif., said that the suit had not yet been reviewed and that he could not comment.