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Google's former managing director for South Asia, Richard Kimber, is aiming to harness the power of social networking sites to grow revenue as the new chief executive of Friendster Inc.
Friendster, the world's third biggest social networking site and Asia's largest, has announced Mr Kimber's appointment and that it had secured $US20 million ($A21.9 million) in funding from one of its backers, IDG Ventures.
Mr Kimber wants to grow revenue by developing new methods of advertising and marketing and extending services available through mobile phones to take advantage of Friendster's 75 million members, 80 per cent of whom are in East Asia.
"Social networking is in its infancy and I'm guessing it will become as widespread as email," Mr Kimber told AAP in an interview.
"Social networking is going mobile and Asia plays into that because often the first experience of the internet there is through mobiles.
"There is also an increasing sophistication in marketing. It is the ultimate viral marketing and, when done well, consumers will spread the advertising for you."
Social networking sites are used by only 20 per cent of internet users, according to Mr Kimber. Developing the service for mobiles has already expanded the user base, given one billion pages were viewed in the month after Friendster launched its mobile version, he said.
As part of Friendster's expansion, Mr Kimber is aiming to acquire companies that can bring technological innovation or skilled people to help compete with bigger rivals MySpace and Facebook.
Mr Kimber says he is hoping to float Friendster.
"We are open to other possibilities as well," he said.
In addition to IDG Ventures, Friendster, the world's ninth most-viewed website, also is backed by venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures and Founders Fund.
"They have deep pockets," Mr Kimber said.
Mr Kimber was appointed for his experience leading an internet company in Asia, having helped grow Google in the Asia Pacific region and opening new offices in Auckland and Singapore.
He said he grabbed the opportunity to lead Friendster.
"The opportunity to be global CEO of a company doesn't come up every day," Mr Kimber said.
He will be spending most of his time between the Philippines, Singapore and other Asian centres, as San Francisco-based Friendster focuses on expanding its business there.
© 2008 AAP
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