Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd (ASX:AB1) has appointed Michael Ephraim as head of partnerships for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).
Ephraim was previously managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment for ANZ where he positioned PlayStation as a total digital home entertainment package.
He did this by onboarding local services including Stan, Foxtel Play, ABC iView, SBS OnDemand, which meant he developed strong media and sporting relationships.
Ephraim will assist in building Animoca’s profile and partnerships in the ANZ region by leveraging his extensive network to access the top sporting organisations and game companies.
Ephraim is already a shareholder
Notably, Ephraim became a shareholder in Animoca when he participated in the April share placement.
Ephraim said: “I am very excited to be joining such a dynamic and innovative organisation at the forefront of blockchain and mobile gaming, AI, machine learning, and the digital media space.
“Animoca Brands has a portfolio of businesses that are very diverse but at the same time have the potential to be highly complementary.
“I am really looking forward to working with a team that has such incredible vision and passion for future technology."
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Animoca’s co-founder and chairman Yat Siu added: “Attracting someone of Michael’s profile and experience to Animoca Brands is a tremendous win.
“We look forward to leveraging his extensive network and expertise to drive the growth of our business and brand in Australia and New Zealand.”
Australia’s multi-billion dollar growing video game industry
Ephraim’s appointment further aligns Animoca with Australia’s growing video game industry.
Consumer spending on video games in Australia was reported to be $3.23 billion in 2017, a 9% growth on the previous year.