Monstermob

Monstermob ltd was a UK mobile content company selling ringtones, wallpapers, games and full length tracks. Operating between 2000 and 2007 it was owned by Monstermob Group plc, which owned similar companies across the globe. The company was founded by Lancaster businessman Martin Higginson. Peter Armer was appointed as first chief financial officer (CFO) [1] succeeded by Lee Dudack. Monstermob Group plc was floated on the Alternative Investment Market on the London Stock Exchange with an opening market capitalisation of £32m. Chris Noden was the company's first technical appointment in February 2001 and was responsible for the design and implementation of the firm's award-winning platform. Noden developed the technology to deliver PolyPhonic ringtones to mobiles ahead of other ringtone firms and took the company through the IPO process. David Wood was brought in by Higginson to develop the ringtone catalogue and Wood eventually became one of the main providers of the firms ringtone catalogue. As full-track audio ringtone's became possible to deliver, ex Sony Music lawyer David Bloomfield was brought in to develop the music business channel alongside Wood and the pair left the company at the end of 2005. Higginson hired former investment banker Niccolo de Masi and finance director David Marks, then pursued opportunities in China, with Orange founder and former Carphone Warehouse non-executive chairman Hans Snook joining as chairman in May 2005. The company's business was adversely affected by regulatory changes in the United Kingdom and in China, aimed at curbing abusive billing practices among vendors of third-party wireless content.[2] Founder Higginson was ousted in June 2006.[3] The company issued three profit warnings in 2006, and as a result its shares lost 90 percent of their value over that year. In August 2006, the company revealed that it was in buyout talks with an unnamed purchaser.[4]

Monstermob
Industrymobile content
FateAdministration
Founded2000
FounderMartin Higginson
DefunctMay 24, 2017 (2017-05-24)
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Key people
Peter Armer
Lee Dudack
Productsringtones
wallpapers
games
full length tracks

In March 2007 Martin Higginson returned to the board as a director. He was brought back to the company after its new owners ousted the directors, including the former CEO and founder of Orange Plc, Hans Snook.[5]

Spanish internet firm LaNetro Zed announced the changes after completing buying up a majority 53% stake in the business and scuppering a rival takeover plan by Chinese mobile content group Linktone.

At the time, LaNetro Zed and Monstermob together became the largest company in the Mobile Value-Added Services (MVAS) market in terms of revenue. The enlarged company operated in 31 countries around the world employing 1,200 staff.[6]

Monstermob Group plc entered administration on 24 May 2017.[7]

References
  1. Monstermob Group Share News
  2. Monstermob hit by new China rules, The Financial Times, 10 July 2006, accessed 30 October 2006
  3. Ringtones pioneer Monstermob ousts founder Archived 2006-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent, 14 June 2006, accessed 30 October 2006
  4. Monstermob confirms bid approach, The Financial Times, 7 August 2006; accessed 30 October 2006
  5. http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/content/15793.asp?men=2&sub=6
  6. "MonsterMob Accepts Takeover - Ousts Directors". www.cellular-news.com. 25 February 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  7. "The London Gazette - Appointment of Administrators Notice - Monstermob Group plc". www.thegazette.co.uk. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
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