MEDIA-I: Spike reinvents its business model
<p>SYDNEY: Web content developer Spike, which has gone through several
</p><p>incarnations since it was founded in the mid-90s in Australia, has
</p><p>reinvented itself once again.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Management has been overhauled in the latest reinvention, which will see
</p><p>the company positioned as an integrated communications provider,
</p><p>offering both online and offline services. As part of the overhaul,
</p><p>Peter Williamson was appointed as chief executive officer.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Spike has also opened an office in Singapore, and has appointed See
</p><p>Ching Feng as managing director. The company now operates sales and
</p><p>production offices in Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and
</p><p>employs a total of 150 people.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Piers Hogarth-Scott, global sales and marketing director at Spike, said:
</p><p>"We are a professionally run, real business these days. We believe that
</p><p>at the top of CEOs mind is achieving a return on investment. Economies
</p><p>are down and they basically want to get a bigger bang for their
</p><p>bucks.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"By providing integrated solutions we can help them achieve that. We
</p><p>offer a much tighter communications package now."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Mark Lepine, Spike general manager in Hong Kong, added: "Most of the
</p><p>managers, out of the 150 people we have, are new. Only two were with the
</p><p>company before. We have had a complete management change.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"We have some clients asking us, 'Are you still going to be here next
</p><p>year' and we answer yes. We've got Techpacific as our backing company,
</p><p>who are extremely supportive and we are being run well."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Spike's shareholders - Hong Kong-listed Techpacific.com and Spike
</p><p>Networks - reportedly agreed to merge their respective interests in
</p><p>August this year.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Hogarth-Scott added: "Historically, Spike was always focused on digital
</p><p>marketing, but for the past few months, we have moved away from
</p><p>that.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Some of our clients will underline that point.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"We have a new business on a sales level. Our sales team sells all
</p><p>components of our offerings. Once an opportunity is identified, sales
</p><p>people can then draw on all the industries or media experts to bring
</p><p>into that pitch."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p>
by
|
12/07/2001
SYDNEY: Web content developer Spike, which has gone through several
incarnations since it was founded in the mid-90s in Australia, has
reinvented itself once again.
Management has been overhauled in the latest reinvention, which will see
the company positioned as an integrated communications provider,
offering both online and offline services. As part of the overhaul,
Peter Williamson was appointed as chief executive officer.
Spike has also opened an office in Singapore, and has appointed See
Ching Feng as managing director. The company now operates sales and
production offices in Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and
employs a total of 150 people.
Piers Hogarth-Scott, global sales and marketing director at Spike, said:
"We are a professionally run, real business these days. We believe that
at the top of CEOs mind is achieving a return on investment. Economies
are down and they basically want to get a bigger bang for their
bucks.
"By providing integrated solutions we can help them achieve that. We
offer a much tighter communications package now."
Mark Lepine, Spike general manager in Hong Kong, added: "Most of the
managers, out of the 150 people we have, are new. Only two were with the
company before. We have had a complete management change.
"We have some clients asking us, 'Are you still going to be here next
year' and we answer yes. We've got Techpacific as our backing company,
who are extremely supportive and we are being run well."
Spike's shareholders - Hong Kong-listed Techpacific.com and Spike
Networks - reportedly agreed to merge their respective interests in
August this year.
Hogarth-Scott added: "Historically, Spike was always focused on digital
marketing, but for the past few months, we have moved away from
that.
Some of our clients will underline that point.
"We have a new business on a sales level. Our sales team sells all
components of our offerings. Once an opportunity is identified, sales
people can then draw on all the industries or media experts to bring
into that pitch."
