Community Engine parts with third manager in three years
Community Engine has released its third managing director in three years as the company prepares to launch its long-awaited promotions and e-commerce platform for small businesses.
Ashley Howden, who was appointed MD in July last year when Commercial Engine axed its commercial team and let go of MD Piers Hogarth-Scott, has now left the company.
Prior to Hogarth-Scott, Michael Gethen ran the company as CEO when company founder Brandon Saul stepped back from operations.
Howden joined the company in 2009 as director of sales and marketing.
Community Engine is an enigmatic company of 50 staff that has continually changed its offering since it launched three years ago, with building websites its main source of revenue.
The launch of its new invitation-only e-commerce platform will be the culmination of three years of product development.
In a statement to Mumbrella, David Pullini, Community Engine’s executive chairman, said:
The soon to be released community engine platform is a very simple community based commerce tool – a personal community noticeboard and newswire system that will help small business and community organisations connect and transact with their customers and members… it’s an innovation only social commerce platform for everyday life in the village… people powered commerce at its simplest.
We’re looking to lifting the lid later in March. As is the case with most startups we’ve had our fair share of twists and turns – but we’ve learnt a hell of a lot along the way, and we’ve poured it all into the new platform. Having started life as a digital services agency with a specialty in social networking and community building this is really just a natural next step forward for us – an opporunity to share our passion for community building with a wider audience.
The platform we now have was only possible through the contribution of many passionate folk – from the idea stage through market testing, learning, product pivots and the final finessing of the platform. With the basic platform now in place the focus has nove moved to marketing and execution.
There are no immediate plans to replace Howden.
‘Released’. Odd word to use. Were they held captive?
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“Community Engine releases third manager in three years”..? +1 for passive headlines! So Howden didn’t leave, didn’t walk, he was ‘released’? Is Community Engine a company or a correctional facility (pc speak for ‘jail’) where staff are not let go, they are released?
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“it’s an innovation only social commerce platform for everyday life in the village… people powered commerce at its simplest”
It’s a what for where?
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where did you get that pic? it looks like he just got the news at the company BBQ
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Interesting to understand if the platform will ever be paroled (released) as well, it’s been some time…it must be amazing. What will be more amazing is the business model and how in the Hell you can get more then 5min attention of an SME owner?
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Looks like a publicity shot from The Straits
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Seeing as Amazon have spent $2.6bn in the last year building up their platform for third parties to use, this had better be good…
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But I thought Yuri Milner was going to invest and turn it into the next Facebook/Twitter/Groupspam/Zyngscam
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If they have a passion for community building how come they have spent 2 years and not released anything yet. Lots of people have managed to build community with nothing more than a WordPress blog and some free forums.
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If they are not replacing the Managing Director, then who is running the place? Who can they blame? Who is going to get the next bullet?
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@Dilbert: the lunatics? For an outfit with a formiddable Community Manager on the payroll there doesn’t seem to be much happening in terms of community or management. If LinkedIn is any guage, their should think about installing a revolving door!
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open for invites https://communityengine.com.au/
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