Bebo announces A/NZ management

FAST growing social network Bebo has appointed former Yahoo7 group sales manager Francisco Cordero as general manager for its new operation in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Cordero is Bebo’s first Australia-based appointment, a position he took up in Sydney this week. He is responsible for further establishing Bebo’s local presence and for cementing partnerships with clients and advertising agencies.

An experienced group business manager, Mr Cordero has a strong affinity for technology, cross-media advertising and emerging channels like mobile. He has more than seven years experience in sales and business development roles across Europe and Australia

“The appointment to the company of an executive of the calibre of Francisco Cordero reflects our ongoing commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets,” Bebo’s international sales chief Mark Charkin said.

Prior to his last position at Yahoo7 – the Australia-New Zealand joint-venture of Yahoo! and the Seven Network – Mr Cordero worked at ninemsn, having moved from Lycos UK in Europe.

“We are experiencing a true internet revolution and with it a dramatic change in the media landscape – Bebo is an important part of this evolution and brands are going to significantly benefit from its huge reach” Mr Cordero said.

“Bebo offers a truly unique opportunity to work on one of the most engaged websites in Australia & New Zealand and I look forward to help develop its business from the grass-roots level up.”

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Seven gears for online future

THE cashed up Seven Network has further entrenched its future as an internet player in the region, with its joint-venture Yahoo7 teaming with Telecom New Zealand in another online content play.

And Seven is also reported to be lining up with its private equity partner Kohlberg Kravis Roberts to buy Telecom New Zealand’s directories business in a deal that could be worth $2 billion.

The Australian newspaper reported that four groups – including Seven and KKR – had been shortlisted to buy the TNZ directories business, and that each bidder was making presentations to the Telecom New Zealand’s senior management and its financial advisor Goldman Sachs.

The network took its relationship with TNZ a step closer last week with the launch of Yahoo!Xtra, the joint-venture between its Yahoo7 business – owned jointly by Yahoo and Seven – and Telecom New Zealand.

Yahoo!Xtra is 51 per cent-owned by Yahoo7. Yahoo7 chief executive Ian Smith was appointed interim CEO of the new venture. Smith said the new company aimed to bring together the global content of the Yahoo group – including Seven’s Australian resources – with “Xtra’s understanding of New Zealanders, their passions and their interests.”

“Our goal is to deliver New Zealand internet users the finest entertainment, information and communications experience available.

“With Yahoo!Xtra New Zealanders join a global community of almost half a billion people using Yahoo! in more than 20 countries.

Telecom New Zealand chief operating officer Kevin Kenrick – who is one of three TNZ representatives on the board – said Yahoo!Xtra would link the best of New Zealand to “the best the rest of the world has to offer.”

An Auckland-based chief executive is expected to be appointed to the new venture by the end of March.

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