Mobile Media

Arif Durrani, mediaweek.co.uk, 12 January 2009, 12:50pm

MMA appoints Wehrs as new president and chief executive

LONDON - The Mobile Marketing Association has named industry veteran Mike Wehrs as its new president and chief executive, replacing Laura Marriott who left at the end of last year.

Wehrs: new president and chief executive of the MMA

In his new role, Wehrs will promote MMA's charter to build a sustainable global framework for the mobile marketing industry, focusing on establishing guidelines and best practices, and helping to drive mobile adoption.

Previously, Wehrs has worked as vice-president of industry affairs and evangelism at speech and imaging specialist Nuance Communications.

Russell Buckley, global chairman of MMA and vice-president of Global Alliances at AdMob, said: "The MMA has grown tremendously in recent years in terms of membership and our geographic footprint, so we needed a person with world-class leadership skills combined with relevant experience and business acumen to continue to drive our success.

"Mike is a proven leader with extensive international executive experience and an established track record within the global mobile industry."

Wehrs brings a wide range of industry association experience, having served on the board of directors and executive committees for organisations such as CTIA - The Wireless Association, Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) and dotMobi Advisory Group, as well as being an active participant as board member or committee chair for many other industry bodies.

Headquartered in the United States, the association has more than 700 member companies across 40 countries, with regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches.