F.Y.I.

Ian Elliot appointed as chairman of Mobile Embrace

Ian Elliot has been appointed as the chairman of digital performance marketing company Mobile Embrace.

The announcement:

Mobile Embrace Limited (ASX: MBE) (MBE or Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Elliot as Non-Executive Chairman, effective 29 November 2017 after the Annual General Meeting.

As Mobile Embrace progressively shifts its focus to becoming a fully-fledged technology led Digital Performance Marketing company, it has sought to match the Board’s skills and composition with its market positioning. After an extensive search, the Company is pleased to confirm Ian’s appointment. Drew Kelton, who has been Non-Executive Chairman for three years, will remain on the Board as a Non-Executive Director.

Ian Elliot has over 40 years’ experience in the advertising, marketing, branding and diversified communication sector. He was both Chairman and CEO of George Patterson Bates, Australia’s leading advertising agency for all of the thirty years of his career, rising from the mail room to CEO. Ian oversaw the expansion through M&A activity of the ad agency into a diversified services group and in his final four years as CEO he added more than $250 million worth of new account wins. He also chaired Zenith Media from 2002-2006, during which Zenith Media was Australia’s largest media buying company. Ian is recognised as the architect behind the successful Optus ‘Yes’ campaign and many other high profile consumer advertising and major events campaigns.

From 2003 to 2007, Ian was both Chairman and Executive Chairman of ASX-listed printing group Promentum Limited. During this time Promentum saw a substantial increase in revenue and earnings and was successfully sold to private equity at approximately 5 times the 2003 share price.

For the past 14 years, Ian has acted as a professional Non-Executive Director for a number of ASX-listed companies including Salmat Limited (2005-2016), Hills Industries (2003-2016) and McMillan Shakespeare Limited (current). He was also an Australian Rugby League Commissioner (2012-2016), Director of the National Australia Day Council (2003-2012), and is the current Chairman of the Dry July Foundation.

Commentary:

Non-Executive Chairman Drew Kelton said: “We are delighted to have attracted such a high calibre and well-connected director to chair Mobile Embrace. Ian is a recognised expert and authority in the advertising and marketing sector and his skills are well aligned with the direction that the Company is now taking. He has an unrivalled network and deep understanding of the sector in which we are shifting our focus, built up over many years, and we are confident he will further strengthen our market position. I am pleased to continue serving as a
Non-Executive Director, working with Ian and the rest of the Board to support Neil and the management team to deliver value to our shareholders.”

Ian Elliot added: “Through my dealings with Mobile Embrace to date, it is evident that the Company has excellent prospects and I am keen to bring my 40+ years’ experience in the advertising and marketing sector, as well as my extensive network, and my skills as a company director to help grow the revenue and earnings base. I am impressed with the agility of the Company and how it has quickly adapted to its increased focus on Performance Marketing.

I’m delighted to be back in the marketing industry. My board positions have kept me close to developing and disruptive digital technologies in marketing and media, and I’m very energised by what Mobile Embrace has developed for 3 reasons in particular;

1. With marketers constantly seeking measurable ROI on marketing spends, the tools and advice provided by Mobile Embrace allows for accurate reporting on ROI not only by individual campaign but by individual prospect. Our ability to help marketers to move from communications to ‘people who look like this’ (target audiences) to people who ARE this (People Based Marketing), completely changes the marketing game. Any marketer who wants to be respected and valued by their CEO, CFO and Board must be able to apply this level of science to the decisions they are making, thus turning marketing from an expense into an investment.

2. MBE’s concentration on digital and specifically mobility places them on the crest of a giant wave as we see the ubiquity of smart devices globally. Forecasts are that by year end, there will be 3.8 billion smart phones in the world and the scalability of MBE’s platforms and smarts sees them poised to take absolute advantage of their front of grid positioning.

3. The leadership team and senior managers are all highly experienced in this still relatively young space. They bring great energy and youthful thinking, but with strong commercial experiences to monetise the innovations and technologies.”

Subject to receiving shareholder approval at the Company’s FY 2018 Annual General Meeting to be held in 2018 following the completion of the financial year, the Board has agreed to issue to Ian Elliot, or his nominee, a total of 3,000,000 unlisted options to acquire ordinary shares in the Company. The options will vest in 3 equal tranches on the first, second and third anniversaries of his appointment. All options will be exercisable at a 50% premium to the five day VWAP prior to the date of this announcement, and have a 3 year expiry period from the date of vesting.

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