Zlango, an Israeli innovator in the space of rich-media mobile messaging has announced today the appointment of Roni Haim, a telecom industry veteran with over 25 years of experience to the CEO position. Mr. Haim replaces Yoav Lorch, Zlango's founder, who will continue to serve on its Board of Directors.
Mr. Haim brings with him extensive industry and managerial experience. He has played a key role in the inception of two start-up companies and their evolution in becoming worldwide leading public companies. Mr. Haim was previously COO, VP R&D and VP Technology & Engineering of Alvarion (Nasdaq:ALVR), VP R&D of Foxcom, founder and director of the Radio Group at Gilat Satellite Networks (Nasdaq:GILTF), and a senior project manager at both Tadiran Electronic Industries and Elisra Electronic Systems. Mr. Haim is a summa cum laude graduate of the Tel-Aviv University holding a B.Sc and an M.Sc degrees in Electrical Engineering and an MBA, with distinction, from Bradford University, UK.
"I am very proud to lead Zlango in becoming an industry leader", said Roni Haim. "As someone who was instrumental in leading three startups to become NASDAQ-traded companies, I am confident in Zlango's ability to become a large, significant player in the field of mobile messaging and to deliver on its vision."
Zlango has recently re-aligned its strategy, focusing on providing its set of technology platforms, through a managed services environment, for enabling rich-media messages over the existing SMS infrastructure. Users utilizing the Zlango technology can effortlessly add icons and images to their standard text messages. While the Zlango icon-set (also known as the Zlango "Language") is still being used enthusiastically by users and is offered to all of Zlango's customers, the company is also opening up its platform for both premium/syndicated content, as well as user-generated content.
"We are confident in Roni's ability to lead Zlango to become a large player in the mobile messaging field", said Michael Eisenberg, General Partner with Benchmark Capital LLC. "The revamped strategy that the company has recently embarked on is showing great results and traction with operators, distribution partners and consumers."
"I wish to thank Yoav Lorch, who founded and led the company thus far, for his innovative approach and strong contribution to the company", said Kaj-Erik Relander, Partner with Accel Partners. "It is our belief that Zlango can become a large company, turning the mobile messaging world, from a pure communications means, into a lively content platform."
Users have already exchanged over 3 billion Zlango content elements. Zlango is available in more than 20 languages and over 500 mobile devices.
Zlango is the global leader in visually-enhanced text messaging solutions and services. Zlango's mobile messaging platform allows users to incorporate images and icons into their SMS and text messages. On top of its mobile services solutions, Zlango's product portfolio includes a set of additional applications supporting 20 different languages allowing easy integration into online properties.
Zlango customers include Portugal Telecom/TMN, Globe (Philippines), the Cosmote Group, Kyivstar (Ukraine), Celcom (Malaysia) and other mobile operators.
Zlango's lead investors are Benchmark Capital and Accel Partners.
More information is available at
www.zlango.com.
Dana Dormea
Zlango Ltd
+972-3-6457011, +972-54-2275925
Dana.dormea@zlango.com
Portugal Telecom's TMN has added the Zlango mobile messaging service for its
subscribers. Zlango gives consumers enhanced messaging capabilities on the
mobile phone with the incorporation of icons into text messages/SMS. TMN is the
largest mobile operator in Portugal with more than 6 million customers.
The novel service has gained rapid acceptance in parts of Europe, the Middle East
and Asia where other mobile telecom operators have already deployed Zlango.
Compatible with more than 450 handset devices, the communication-enhancing application
has caught on quickly with the youth market. Operators are deploying the service to
differentiate themselves, capture a larger share of the $70 billion worldwide
SMS/text messaging market and establish themselves with teens and tweens
customers.
Previous roll outs have increased average revenue per user (ARPU) for operators by
driving more messages to be sent, as well as reducing customer churn while driving
phone upgrades. The youth demographic in particular have found Zlango engaging and
leads the adoption of the application in 12 different countries including Malaysia,
Philippines, Ukraine and Israel.
"With the launch of the Zlango service, TMN continues its strategy of convergence
and multiplatform service development, using advances in technology to benefit its
customers,"
says Mario Sousa, Data and Content Business Director, TMN. "Zlango is an
opportunity for TMN to position itself once more as the most innovative operator
in Portugal."
The Zlango service does not require any data connection and utilizes the existing
SMS infrastructure for communications. Operators and handset manufacturers offering
Zlango have been able to increase SMS related revenue by offering youth audiences the
communication functionality they are already using on the PC and other
platforms.
"I'm very proud of adding TMN to our list of mobile operator partners, helping them
differentiate against the commoditization of mobile messaging." said Yoav Lorch, CEO,
Zlango. "We're tapping into the desire young people have to always find new ways
to express themselves, and giving our partners a means to differentiate their offering."
When using Zlango, users can incorporate images that substitute words and phrases into
their messages. As the saying goes - a picture is worth a thousand words. In fact,
in some countries it is considered rude not to use Zlango or similar icons in messages.
Zlango's availability in more than 20 different languages allows people from around the
world to break down communication barriers.
Zlango is the global leader in visually-enhanced text messaging solutions and services. Zlango's mobile messaging platform allows users to incorporate images and icons into their SMS and text messages. On top of its mobile services solutions, Zlango's product portfolio includes a set of additional applications supporting 20 different languages allowing easy integration into online properties.
Zlango customers include Portugal Telecom/TMN, Globe (Philippines), the Cosmote Group, Kyivstar (Ukraine), Celcom (Malaysia) and other mobile operators.
Zlango's lead investors are Benchmark Capital and Accel Partners.
More information is available at
www.zlango.com.
Created in March 1991, TMN is the mobile subsidiary of the Portugal Telecom Group and
today's leading operator in the mobile telecommunications market in Portugal.
Betting on the ongoing diversification of solutions tailored to individual and
professional needs, TMN makes technological innovation and orientation toward
the client drive its overall activity.
