Mumbai: Silicon Valley-based short video platform Firework have roped in 9GAG’s Senior Vice President and GM Russel Schneider as the Head of Digital Strategy. Former head of Taboola News in the US, Anand Vijayanand, Bill Jennings, former Chief Digital Officer at Patientpoint in New York and Former Global COO of Evolve Media, Jason Holland have joined Firework’s leadership team in Redwood City, California. In addition to that, former Chief Revenue Officer of Tout, David Parsons has also joined Firework as its Head of Strategy and Business Development.
While Jason Holland will lead as the President of Global Business for Firework, Anand Vijayanand will spearhead the mobile division of Firework. Bill Jennings has been appointed as the President of Firework Network. David Parsons on the other hand, will be responsible for business strategy in the brands global expansion.
With more than 100 years of cumulative experience among them, this team has been entrusted with Firework’sopen web initiatives globally.
At Evolve Media, Jason was pivotal in leading expansion into emerging markets and managing global business and strategy. At 9GAG, Russel Schneider developed a new blueprint to help brands integrate with social communities, MEME culture, and social creators. With over 15 years in leading digital businesses, Russel haspartnered with Netflix, Paramount Pictures, EA Games, Dunkin’ Donuts, Tencent Games and many more that made 9GAG one of world’s most followed entertainment brands.
Anand Vijayanand, an Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu and Stanford Graduate was the VP and GM at Celltick in Silicon Valley before joining Taboola, heading their News division. Anand’s decades of experience in growth and business strategy and his experience with OEMs will drive Firework’s mobile application and product evolution and key partnerships.
Deborah Vue, Global Head of Business and People Operation at Firework Headquarters in Redwood City, California said “Anand, Bill, Jason, Russel and David will be part of the leadership team at Firework. Our rapid growth and expansion around the globe are a validation of the compelling product that the team have put together and the journey that lies ahead of us. The experience that this team brings is diverse and rich and will add to the speed and agility with which Firework will build value in people’s digital journey”
Jason Holland, President of Global Business at Firework said, “Firework is the world’s fastest-growing short video platform and we are only getting started. I anticipate an extremely exciting journey at Firework, driving growth and strategy globally to enter the next stage of internet’s evolution. Firework is well poised be a game-changer and it will be a delight to work with such inspired teams across the globe”
Firework’s progress in the short video space on the open web have been rapid with their commitment to innovation and radical approach to offer business solutions for publisher partners. Firework has emerged as the largest short video operator on the open web, that is poised to transform social media, empower creators and create a shift in the way internet operates.
This dream team will develop a fruitful journey for publishers, creators, brands to derive optimal value from the unrestrictive nature of the open web.
