Global Wireless Industry Leaders to Lend Their Expertise in Guiding Vringo
NEW YORK–Jan. 14, 2008—Vringo, the pioneer in video ringtone sharing, announced today that two leading figures in global mobile telephony—Ralph Simon and Jeff Belk—have become the first members of the company’s new board of advisors.
“As Vringo gathers momentum, we’re extremely fortunate to have visionaries like Ralph Simon and Jeff Belk add their collective industry expertise, experience and entrepreneurship to our video ringtone-sharing endeavor,” said company CEO Jonathan Medved. “We’ve been growing in usage, in attracting venture capital, in recruiting content partners and in forging strong bonds with handset providers and wireless carriers; now we have two of mobility’s brightest lights to help guide us.”
Ralph Simon is recognized as one of the founders of the modern mobile music and entertainment business in the United States and Europe. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of the Mobile Entertainment Forum–Americas, the principal global trade association and leading advocate for the mobile entertainment industry established to represent the commercial interests of content, application and service providers and telephone companies.
Simon also is president & CEO of The Mobilium Group, the respected mobile strategic advisory firm that guides U.S. and international media companies, networks and brands to grow revenues and market share from mobile content, mobile entertainment properties and technologies.
His involvement in the global mobile entertainment and content business since its inception brings together a vast array of skills acquired from a distinguished career in the music, music publishing and the mobile technology industry. Simon has proven expertise in strategic company development, content & copyright usage, mobile rights architecture, super-distribution, mobile platforms and mobile business development.
Simon co-founded and funded the first ringtone company in the U.S., U.K. and Europe—Yourmobile/Moviso. Prior to starting the mobile entertainment revolution, he co-founded the Zomba Group and Jive Records, which grew to become the world’s most successful independent record and music publishing company.
He currently advises prominent companies, entertainment properties and artists in the U.S. and internationally on ways to maximize and develop their mobile businesses and revenues, and create significant commercial opportunities on a global basis.
Simon will chair Vringo’s advisory group, Medved said, adding that he expects to name additional members to the board of advisors.
Jeffrey Belk is a principal in ICT168 Capital, LLC, a newly formed entity focused on developing and guiding global growth opportunities in the information and communications technology space. Formerly, Belk spent almost 14 years at Qualcomm Inc., where prior to his departure in early 2008, he was Qualcomm’s senior vice president of strategy and market development, focused on examining changes in the wireless ecosystem and formulating approaches to help continue driving mobile broadband adoption and growth.
From 2000 until 2006, Belk was senior vice president of global marketing, leading a team responsible for all facets of the company’s corporate messaging, communications and marketing worldwide. In 1999-2000, Belk was senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm Eudora Products, Qualcomm’s award-winning e-mail client. In 1997, Belk was named vice president–marketing of Qualcomm Consumer Products, and initiated the company’s global branding and distribution efforts.
Prior to his time at Qualcomm, Belk spent 10 years in the early growth stages of the personal computer industry, primarily with Proxima Corporation, which developed and manufactured multimedia projection systems. Belk joined Proxima in 1983, when the company had fewer than 25 employees, and was with the company in several key distribution, product-management and international roles through its IPO in the early 1990s.
Belk is known globally as a commentator and writer on wireless, mobile broadband and technology evolution.
Vringo subscribers now have access to a wide variety of video ringtones ranging from comedy to sports to cartoons and more. Vringo’s content partners include Agence France-Presse, Discovery Channel and Universal Music Group for video content, as well as Meez and WeeWorld for animated avatars, and others.
Vringo recently received two significant industry awards—a special recognition award for “Best Use of Phone Functionality” from Sony Ericsson, and an award for “Best Mobile Service for Social Community & User Generated Content” at the 23rd Annual MIPCOM conference in Cannes, France.
For further details about Vringo, to preview video ringtones or to see a list of supported handsets, please visit www.vringo.com.
About Vringo
Vringo is creating the world’s first video ringtone sharing community. The company is making Personalization 2.0 a reality by enabling users to experience rich media ringtones on a wide variety of mobile devices and for the first time to share that media with others within a community. Vringo is backed by Warburg Pincus and by private investors. More information can be found at www.vringo.com.
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