MEF, the global community for mobile content and commerce, has announced the results of its hotly contested 2013 EMEA and Asia Board elections in which 23 candidates representing MEF's diverse mobile ecosystem including banks, device manufacturers, operators and ad networks as well as content, security and legal specialists and service providers, participated.
The newly elected Boards underline expansion in the mobile ecosystem both geographically and as it continues to engage new sectors, rapidly becoming the consumer's first screen in both developed and growth markets.
In EMEA, six directors were elected to the board:
• Pietro Catello - Regional B2C Director - Northern & Central EU, Russia, South Africa and APAC, for Buongiorno - NTT Docomo Group
• Chris Davies - General Counsel & Head of Privacy, InMobi
• Darren Foulds, - Managing Director for Mobile Banking and Barclays Pingit - Barclays Bank
• Prins Mhlanga - Managing Executive, Digital Media, Vodacom Group South Africa
• Gertjan Rösken, (EMEA Vice Chair) CTO from My Order / Senior Innovation Manager Rabobank
• Dr. Colin Yeh- Group Director of Innovations at Ooredoo (formerly Qtel Group)
Nokia's Director of Global Partner Management, Maximilian von Schierstadt was elected as the EMEA Chair with Gertjan Rösken, (My Order / Rabobank) and Emma Kaye, Mira Networks as Vice Chairs.
The new Chairs and Directors join incumbent EMEA board directors Peter Tonstad, CEO Aspiro; Rob Price, Head of Digital Atos; Diane Alphonse, Head of Marketing Barwa Bank and Volker Hirsch, Head of Business Development, Games, Blackberry. Together the board will drive the rapidly expanding mobile community to deliver value and growth across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The Asia elections saw 12 candidates stand for seven seats with a strong vote for Indian based companies joining the Asia Board marking a clear strategic focus for the Asia Chapter in 2013.
The newly elected Directors for the Asia Chapter are:
• Chaitanya Devalapally Associate Vice President, Operations, IMImobile
• Dippak Khurana, Founder & CEO, Vserv.mobi
• Ronen Mense, VP Sales & Business Development APAC, Massive Impact
• Nitish Mittersain, CEO &aamp; Founder, Nazara Technologies
• Milind Pathak Global Head New Business One97 Communications
• Marcus Tan Managing Director Smaato
• Kugan Thirunavakarasu, Senior GM/Head of Product & Infotainment Business, Maxis Communications Berhad
Colin Miles, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at InternetQ was re-elected as MEF Asia Chairman for the region and is joined by incumbent Director Neeraj Roy, CEO Hungama and newly elected Milind Pathak, One97 Communications as Vice Chairs.
The Asia Board includes three further incumbent directors Phalgun Raju General Manager, Southeast Asia inMobi; Thawatvongse Silamanonda, SVP, International Business Development, Mono Technology and Joerg Krahnert, Managing Director, APAC Netbiscuits.
The elections were held at MEF's AGM at Mobile World Congress last week ahead of its 11th annual MEF Connects MWC, attended by over 500 mobile industry executives.
Andrew Bud, MEF Global Chair said: "MEF has established itself as a unique global industry enabler, supporting mobile growth and sustainability, relevant to an increasingly diversified and valuable mobile ecosystem. The newly elected EMEA and Asia boards contain outstanding experience and industry breadth. They will drive our mission by delivering regionally specific activities to create monetisation opportunities and build consumer trust."