Industry Veteran and Former TIM Brasil Executive to Head MMA’s Support of the Region’s Mobile Marketing Ecosystem

New York, London, UK, Singapore & Sao Paulo: June 15, 2010 – The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced the appointment of Marco Lopes as managing director of the MMA’s Latin America (LATAM) branch. In his new role, Lopes is responsible for driving the association’s charter to build a sustainable ecosystem for the mobile marketing industry in the region, and positioning the MMA as the region’s leading association.

The LATAM branch is one of four business units established in 2010 to enhance the MMA’s ability to anticipate and address the unique needs of each world region: Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America and North America. Each business unit’s managing director has autonomy to foster strong member communities, launch new in-region local councils and perform MMA Forum events with full P/L responsibility while overseeing adherence to the MMA’s Consumer Best Practices (CBPs) guidelines. These expanded responsibilities guarantee that the business units will operate according to the MMA vision, maintain consistency and encourage the exchange of success cases and best practices across the globe. 
   
“The MMA has played a key role in fostering the LATAM region’s mobile marketing ecosystem, including identifying emerging opportunities, creating industry-standard best practices and protecting the consumer experience,” Lopes said. “I’m honored by the opportunity to lead the MMA’s initiatives in the region.”

Lopes’ initial charter will center on the regional committees: Consumer Best Practices, Mobile Advertising Guidelines with focus on SMS advertising.  In addition, following the success of the MMA Forum New York held last week, Lopes will host Latam MMA Forum this coming September in Sao Paulo. Finally, MMA LATAM is launching Local Councils starting in Argentina and Mexico.

Lopes is a managing partner at Innovideas, a consulting and business development firm focused on innovation, interactive marketing and technology that develops marketing programs for premium brands in Brazil. Before Innovideas, Lopes was Chief Marketing Officer for TIM Brasil, where he was responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies for the consumer and corporate segments, and new products and services. At TIM Brasil, Lopes also led the strategic repositioning from a mobile operator to a convergent communications company, with key launches such as 3G HSPA services and TIM fixo.

Lopes has worked in mobile marketing since 1999, when he joined Amazonia Cellular, currently part of the Oi Group. His previous experience includes product development, program management, sales and marketing at companies such as Cummins Engine Co., Ford Motor Co.’s Brazil and U.S. operations, Rodobens and Banco do Brasil.

Lopes has bachelor’s degrees in business and engineering, and a post-graduate degree in business and marketing from ESPM, Sao Paulo. He is also a graduate of Wharton Business School's AMP and completed specialization courses in strategy at INSEAD-France and Telecom Management from Thunderbird-USA. In 2005, he received the CEO of the Future award from Korn Ferry International, FIA/USP and Voce SA magazine.
 
About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Valerie Christopherson
Global Results Comm. (GRC)
P:+1 949 608 0276
E: [email protected]