ByJake Maxwell Watts
When hes not plotting to re-create Nokia Corp.s greatest achievements in the mobile phone market, Thomas Zilliacus, chief executive of the third generation social networking service YuuZoo, is monetizing online interactions for brands in a way that industry giants like Facebook Inc. are missing.
The charismatic executive from Finland, now 59 years old, first came to Asia in 1986 to explore growth prospects in the region for Nokia. Now 27 years down the line, through his company Mobile FutureWorks, Mr. Zilliacus owns a controlling stake in YuuZoo, a Singapore-based start-up which makes bespoke social networking platforms for brands, organizations and interest groups, including fans of the new Grand Theft Auto V video game.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Zilliacus spoke more about YuuZoos niche and its plans for a listing on the Singapore stock exchange by way of a reverse takeover. Edited excerpts:
WSJ: How did YuuZoo start?
Mr. Zilliacus: Straight out of business school in Finland I was offered a job as Nokias global head of branding and marketing and public relations at the head office and then spent 16 years in senior positions therebefore I left and started Mobile FutureWorks. We invested in YuuZoo on day one. I really was an investor [rather than founder] but did indeed develop it from day one.
WSJ: What does it do?
Mr. Zilliacus: Just yesterday I spoke with an investor who said: You are doing so many things what is your focus? I said no, you misunderstood, we are not doing many things, we are doing one single thing which is combining e-commerce and social networkingso social shopping is what its all about.
Our systems incorporate an advertising platform, a payment platformand e-commerce platform. What we build are these networks that are targeted either on a specific business, or an interest area or a location. Our networks combinewe hope at leastthe best elements of all the different things that are available on the Internet. [Members] do not need to be friends with anybody so you can join any discussion you want.
But its a very focused network where you find people who share your passionThe average visit time in a targeted network is up to five times higher than it is in a general network [like] Facebook [or] Twitter.
Original post:
Q&A: YuuZoo’s CEO on Creating a Different Kind of Social Network