Alex Parsons has been named MD of Nine Entertainment Co’s Nine Digital as part of a restructure which sees Mi9 being absorbed into NEC.
Mark Britt is departing after three years as Mi9 CEO and will head a Subscription VoD service being launched in Asia by Kuala Lumpur-based e-commerce business Catcha Group.
Britt will retain his links with the NEC Group as a strategic adviser until March 31 2016, according to CEO David Gyngell. As part of the revamp, Mike Sneesby, CEO of NEC’s SVoD business StreamCo, will now report to Gyngell.
Gyngell’s statement referred to StreamCo’s pre-launch phase. IF understands a November debut is planned, subject to the technology being ready.
Britt ran Mi9 when it was a joint venture with Microsoft and led the integration of the business into the NEC Group after it bought out Microsoft last year.
Parsons ran the content, creative, marketing and product teams across ninemsn, Bing, and Windows Live until 2013 when he was appointed CEO of consumer financial comparison website Ratecity, in which Mi9 has a stake.
“I’m pleased to have Alex return to the digital business. He has been a part of our company for many years and I’m confident the transition to the new management structure will proceed smoothly,” Gyngell said.
Britt said: “I have had a fantastic three years leading Mi9/ninemsn. The business has come through huge change, moving from business a successful joint venture to a fully integrated part of NEC with a really bright future on the horizon. I’ve been presented with a rare opportunity to start a new business that only comes along once in a lifetime.”