NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- kgb, formerly INFONXX (www.kgbusa.com), the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services, today announced the appointment of Bruce Stewart as CEO of the new global Mobile & Digital division. Stewart leaves his post as Vice President & General Manager of the Connected Life Americas Division with Yahoo! (YHOO) based in Sunnyvale, California to join kgb, a privately-held, New York-based company known for having built some of the most highly successful and recognizable brands in the telecommunication services sector. Stewart will join kgb this fall.
"Bruce is joining us at an exciting time, just as we are expanding into new digital and mobile text product lines that are evolving rapidly to keep pace with our customers' needs," said kgb CEO and President, Robert Pines. "We are in the business of providing immediate, specific, accurate and convenient answers to the questions millions of consumers send us 24 hours a day, every day, via phone, text, and the Internet. kgb answered over a billion questions last year and, with Bruce at the helm of our Mobile & Digital division, I think we'll reach two billion even sooner than we had planned," Pines said.
"kgb is known for building world-class brands. The Company has been consistently ahead of the curve in introducing products that drive the knowledge industry forward, from directory assistance services to mobile text-based and Internet 'find' services," said Stewart. "I am delighted to join kgb's global leadership team at a time when the Company is positioned to ensure that digital information services -- starting with mobile text -- reach their immense potential for consumers everywhere."
Stewart brings broad executive management experience in mobile and digital operations to his post at kgb, having managed Yahoo!'s mobile, PC desktop, and its broadband business in the Americas, including its broadband partnerships with ATT, Verizon and Rogers Cable. At Yahoo!, Stewart was instrumental in driving the success of several of Yahoo!'s mobile initiatives over the past three years, including the expansion of Yahoo!'s mobile partnerships in the North America and Latin America regions with leading companies such as ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint, America Movil, Telefonica and Rogers Wireless. On a global basis, Stewart also developed global OEM relationships with Apple, RIM, LG, Samsung, Motorola and Nokia.
More recently, Stewart also drove the growth of new mobile services including mobile search, mobile advertising, and launched mobile finance and news content sites, and new sports properties such as March Madness, Olympics, and Fantasy Football. He has significant experience developing major Web properties within Internet brands and has had responsibility for a large revenue and employee base. Prior to Yahoo!, Bruce served as a Senior Vice President with America Online (AOL) working on the Netscape brand, was Executive Vice President with Exodus Communications, managing all of their international operations in Europe and Asia, and early on was a partner with InterMedia Partners, then the largest privately held cable MSO which was an early leader in delivering digital entertainment, high speed internet and advanced cable communications services.
kgb has pioneered the provision of a broad range of information services beyond traditional directory assistance, including call completion, "TXT-Direct," movie listings, train schedules, price comparisons and "Ask Us Anything" across multiple platforms, including mobile and landline phones, SMS and the Internet. In 2007, kgb launched its innovative "Ask Us Anything" two-way text messaging service in the United Kingdom and will continue to expand two-way text offerings throughout Europe and the U.S. this year and next. In 2008, kgb won the Pelorus Award for best mobile text service in the United States.
In 2007, kgb also began offering an innovative suite of advertising services to small, medium and large businesses through 118//Media in the U.K. 118//Media offers a multi-modal, bundled advertising solution of enhanced voice, Mobile TXT and online services. Seven thousand advertisers have signed on since the product launched last year. In September of 2008, kgb partnered with Call Genie in the U.K. to create a self-service advertising solution with a degree of precision audience targeting never before available.
ABOUT kgb
kgb (formerly INFONXX), a privately held company, is the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services, having built some of the most successful and recognizable brands in the telecommunication services sector. kgb is also the largest and fastest growing independent wholesale directory assistance service provider in the U.S. kgb is in the business of providing immediate, specific, accurate and convenient answers to questions 24 hours a day, every day, via phone, text, and the Internet. In 2007, kgb served millions of consumers and answered over a billion questions.