NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coming off the extraordinary success of the launch of iHeartRadio 5.0, Clear Channel, one of the leading global media and entertainment companies, announced today that it is taking another important step in its continuing transformation to a consumer-driven, technology-fueled company by naming Brian Lakamp its President of Technology and Digital Ventures.
“Our corporate focus on digital, increasingly leveraging technology to maximize our business, reflects the natural evolution of Clear Channel into a 21st century media company,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel. “Creativity is also enabled by technology, and as advertisers’ interest in new and emerging technology options continues to grow, we intend to remain at the forefront of both innovation and creativity. Brian is perfectly positioned to help us – and our consumers, advertisers and content partners – as we continue to build Clear Channel’s digital roadmap for the future.”
In this new role, Lakamp will work closely with Pittman and Rich Bressler, Clear Channel’s President, to lead the overall technology platform and capabilities for all of Clear Channel, maximizing the impact across all of its technology businesses -- including its broadcast, digital radio, events and promotions and out-of-home businesses. He will also be responsible for developing the company’s overall place in the worlds of big data and programmatic buying. He will serve as the company’s corporate voice on major technology projects, oversee Clear Channel’s relationship with Silicon Valley and the tech community, and develop a corporate strategy that unifies all Clear Channel technology platforms for the benefit of both consumers and advertisers.
“Looking across Clear Channel’s diverse set of media businesses and its unparalleled reach, there are massive opportunities to utilize emerging technologies to unlock business value and offer unmatched possibilities for our advertisers, our audiences and ourselves around analytics, programmatic buying of targeted audiences, and beyond,” said Lakamp. “It has been an honor to lead our iHeartRadio team as we built the fastest growing digital audio service in the history of the Internet, and I am now excited to take on this broader technology role for the entire company."
Lakamp will report to Pittman, and reporting to Lakamp will be Jeff Littlejohn, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Systems Integration; Pete Gerrald, Chief Information Officer; Philippe Generali, President and CEO of Clear Channel’s RCS Worldwide division, the world’s leading producer of broadcast software; and Joe Robinson, Executive Vice President of Strategic Development.
“Digital is now at the core of Clear Channel and is key to all our operating businesses, and putting Brian -- someone with a proven technology and digital track record -- into the most senior level of the company with a clear mandate to keep us in the forefront of using technology to transform our business reflects the increasingly important role that technology is playing at Clear Channel,” said Bressler.
Under this new structure, iHeartRadio will become part of Clear Channel Networks Group, reporting to its president, Darren Davis.
Pittman added, “I'm proud of the incredible work the iHeartRadio group has done under Brian, and I am confident the momentum will continue to grow as they join the Clear Channel Networks Group under the leadership of Darren Davis given his successes in programming and experience in heading our Networks businesses.”
Davis will now be responsible for the entire business of iHeartRadio as well as Premiere Networks, the radio industry's leading network group; Total Traffic and Weather Network; and the 24/7 News Network.
Reporting to Davis will be Pablo Calamera, Chief Technology Officer of iHeartRadio Networks; Jerrell Jimerson, Senior Vice President of Product for iHeartRadio Networks; Brian Kaminsky, Executive Vice President of Operations for iHeartRadio Networks; and Steven Radley, Senior Vice President of Content for iHeartRadio Networks, all of whom were instrumental to the success of the new iHeartRadio 5.0 and the service reaching the 50 million registered user milestone faster than any other streaming music platform and even faster than Facebook and Twitter.
“I look forward to working with the immensely talented iHeartRadio team to build on the tremendous success of iHeartRadio by utilizing the full promotional and creative power of Clear Channel for iHeartRadio Networks,“ said Davis. “I’m excited to continue my collaboration with Brian in his new role to leverage new opportunities and maximize emerging technologies across Clear Channel’s national platforms and services."
About CC Media Holdings, Inc./Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
CC Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: CCMO), the parent company of Clear Channel Communications, is one of the leading global media and entertainment companies. The company specializes in radio, digital, outdoor, mobile, social, live events, on-demand entertainment and information services for local communities, and uses its unparalleled national reach to target both nationally and locally on behalf of its advertising partners. The company is dedicated to using the latest technology solutions to transform the company’s products and services for the benefit of its consumers, communities, partners and advertisers, and its outdoor business reaches over 40 countries across five continents, connecting people to brands using innovative new technology.
About iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio, Clear Channel's digital radio platform, is the No. 1 all-in-one digital audio service, providing both custom radio and the leading live broadcast radio stations from all over the country and in all formats. With over 345 million downloads across multiple platforms, the easy to use iHeartRadio is available on almost 40 devices across web, mobile, tablets, automotive partners, smart TVs, gaming devices and more. iHeartRadio reached 50 million registered users in just three years – faster than any other digital music service and even faster than Twitter and Facebook – and reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history.
