Back‘Rural VAS is a huge opportunity’
‘Rural VAS is a huge opportunity’
PremiumLong-term view: Mobile2Win’s Rajiv Hiranandani.
Mumbai: Mobile value-added services (VAS) companyMobile2Win India Pvt. Ltdhas expanded its top management team in the last two months. The Mumbai-based company hired Rajat Jain, former managing director of Walt Disney Co. (India) Pvt Ltd, to take over its India operations as managing director and chief executive officer in August. Earlier this month, it took on board Tushar Shah, also fromWalt Disney India, to head product development and marketing. Mobile2Win had received $15 million (Rs59.7 crore) in second-round funding from Norwest Venture Partners and Nexus India Capital in November 2006.Rajiv Hiranandani, co-founder and global head of revenues, spoke to Mint about the company’s growth plans. Edited excerpts:
You’ve made significant additions to your top management. What is the game plan?
In a dynamic space like ours (mobile VAS), one needs to invest in huge opportunities. From other markets, we have seen that a B2C (business-to-consumer) model has long-term value, rather than just being the back-end for operators.
Getting Rajat and Tushar on board is a part of the long-term vision of ramping up our consumer-facing businesses. Both have a strong background of media play and consumer brand experience.
What are the big opportunities you see in the space?
Rural VAS is turning out to be a huge opportunity, as operators are expanding into these areas.
WAP (wireless access protocol) portals is another area we are seeing a lot of growth in, as consumer brands are adopting this platform as a mobile destination for consumers. Mobile gaming, Bluetooth marketing, mobile communities and mobile user-generated content are also spaces we are watching closely.
You have expressed unhappiness in the past about the revenue share between operators and VAS players. Is it likely to change?
The change is happening slowly. Today, operators are telling us, if we approach them with compelling products they can get exclusively, they might give us a higher revenue share. Six months ago, they would not even have considered it.
Are you looking at acquisitions?
We are not ruling out the option. But in the near term, we are likely to continue growth organically.
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