3rd December 2008: John Armah, former Head of Corporate Development at the Financial Times has joined the Masher team today as their Commercial Director.
Masher is a new Internet service that allows users to create a video in minutes by 'mashing' together different videos, photos, music, and digital effects. Users can then share their video mash instantly with their friends by publishing it straight to social network sites such as Facebook and MySpace or by emailing them. For content owners, Masher offers a completely new way for users to engage with their content, in which those users don't just consume content online passively but become both producer and consumer in an application that is highly engaging and allows for the maximization of online advertising and sponsorship revenues.
Neil Fenton, Executive Chairman of Masher said:
"We are delighted that John has decided to join the Masher team. As an online application which allows users to engage with digital content in ways never before possible, John will lead Masher's commercialization strategy drawing on his vast experience gained at FT.com, to take the Masher application to both content owners and online brand properties."
John Armah, Commercial Director of Masher said:
"I'm delighted to be joining Masher. Masher doesn't simply make user generated content more compelling; it activates your archive, immerses customers in your brand and produces advocates of your offering."
In a successful 10 years at the FT, John's major successes include the commercial launch of FT.com in the US in 2000; increasing advertising and sponsorship revenues in Continental Europe Middle East & Africa from under £30 to over £50m in 3 years; and in his final 18 months setting up a creative solutions unit as Head of Corporate Development. John has also worked at market-leading media brands including Haymarket Publishing, Capital Radio, and AOL Europe.
Masher was originally developed by BBC Motion Gallery, the video archive sales operation of BBC Worldwide, and was acquired in July 2008 by a consortium of investors led by Neil Fenton, the Canadian software entrepreneur and which includes Tom Singh, the retail entrepreneur and Ibis Capital.
