MMA Breaks Up Global Organization Into Four Units; Appoints New North American Leader
The Mobile Marketing Association is reorganizing its structure in order to support the “unprecedented awareness” of mobile marketing worldwide and its surging membership, the non-profit trade association said today.
The new structure will give its four operating regions in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America and North America, more autonomy. Each region will have a managing director, who will launch local councils, local events and have full financial responsibility. As part of the restructuring, MMA appointed a new North American head, Michael Becker, co-founder of *iLoop Mobile*. It also continues to search for a CEO after its global CEO and President Mike Wehrs resigned Dec. 31. Release.
The managing directors are as follows: Paul Berney in EMEA, Rohit Dadwal in APAC and Michael Becker will assume the role of managing director in North America. The managing directors will report to the MMA
As a longstanding, active member of the MMA (and a member of the CBP committee), I’m very disappointed in the MMA board’s recent staffing choices. After Mike Wehrs underwhelmed the membership with his aloofness and the miserable pricing/planning of the first NY MMA Forum on his watch, I was expecting the board to be more careful with it’s future staffing decisions. Selecting Michael Becker as the NA head is a shocking choice in light of the fact that Mr. Becker is widely viewed as a self-aggrandizing media whore. iLoop has been a sinkhole for VC cash, and Mr. Becker has demonstrated little more than his ability to flood the speaker circuit with his appearances. I strongly encourage MMA executive committee members to speak privately with MMA members to gauge their support for the NA MMA under Mr. Becker’s leadership. I’m confident that they will find that most members are not confident in Mr. Becker, and NA MMA membership support will suffer as a result of this selection.
To the comment above: Jealousy is an ugly thing. Mr. Becker is well respected and that is why everyone is lining up to have him speak at their events. He is not a media whore at all. He is a thought leader in the space and its sad that this is the way mobile marketers react to such news. Congrats to Mr. Becker. Its a good thing he’s a bigger person and doesn’t take stupidness like the above comment to heart.
Grow up. For you to anonymously comment on Mr. Becker’s character is cowardly. We should be thankful for someone to step up and provide this kind of leadership in the industry. We should embrace Mr. Becker and support his and the desire to grow the industry.
I agree with the original comment regarding mr. becker.
Make me the third angry, anonymous vote on this. MMA has gone from the voice of brands to the hall of vendors, both in membership and staff. Ridiculous. And here we are a year and a half after the Mike-debacle and still no ceo. We wonder why mobile isn’t taken seriously. We need a Board composed of C-suite players and a leader that understands how to operate a global association. GSMA, CEA, ITU – these are associations that move our markets. Someone with an understanding of mobile carriers, big brands, and government agencies needs to take the helm and get this association back into a visible place. I know of several highly qualified individuals proposed to the board that have been completely ignored. That is what happens when your Chair is based in a random market and the search committee is led by a young hottie jumping from one ladder to the next. C’mon folks. It’s time to get it done.