Covington & Burling hires Sebastian Vos, ex-Fipra International, as partner to lead European division of global public policy and government affairs practice, and to work on issues including technology … CenturyLink Government Senior Vice President and General Manager Diana Gowen retiring … International Broadcasting Convention President John Wilson dies; memorial service on June 24 at 2:30 p.m. at All Saints Church in Upper Clatford, U.K. … Voxer, push-to-talk and multimedia messaging firm, promotes Irv Remedios to president … Lobbyist registration: Mimosa Networks, Internet technology firm, CG Consulting Group, effective May 1.
Huawei promotes Zhiqiang Xu to president, Huawei Device USA … Evercore’s investment banking business hires Donald Monson, ex-JPMorgan, as senior managing director, Technology Group, advising digital media and Internet companies … AMC Networks promotes Melissa Wasserman to senior vice president-client solutions and integrated marketing, AMC pay-TV channel … Bigcommerce, e-commerce platform for businesses, hires Tim Schulz, ex-Google, as senior vice president-product management.
Gannett hires Randy Kilgore, ex-Tremor Video, as president, national sales, responsible for advertising on multi-platform media network … Changes at RealNetworks: Mike Mulica, ex-Openwave, joins as president-worldwide sales and business development; Max Pellegrini shifts from president of Mobile Entertainment division to new role as president-products and marketing, responsible for newly combined mobile entertainment and RealPlayer product lines. HSN promotes Maria Martinez to chief human resources officer … Canara, data center backup power system monitoring firm, hires Tom Mertz, ex-Quality Technology Services, as CEO … Cartesian, consultant for communications, digital media and technology industries, hires as vice presidents-business development and sales Clayton LiaBraaten, ex-Neustar, and Jim Erickson, ex-Teletech.
TVB, U.S. broadcast-TV industry association, hires Hadassa Gerber, ex-Syndicated Network Television Association, as senior vice president and chief research officer … Samsung Telecommunications America hires Robin Bienfait, ex-BlackBerry, as executive vice president-chief enterprise innovation officer, Global Enterprise Services; John Pleasants, ex-Disney Interactive Media Group, as executive vice president, Samsung Media Solutions Center America; and Mark Louison, ex-Boston Consulting Group, as senior vice president, Wireless Network Systems … One World Sports, multiplatform sports network, hires as senior vice presidents Kristen McNeill, ex-Tribune, for Western Division, and Mark Romano, ex-Outdoor Channel, Eastern Division.
Also named to FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee for 2014-2016 (CD June 9 p16) are New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, as vice chairman, and also representing city is Tanessa Cabe; and Wilton Manors, Florida, Mayor Gary Resnick, named chairman … Chertoff Group, security and risk-management consultant, hires cyberrisk expert Alastair MacWillson, ex-Accenture, as principal … National Association of Attorneys General elects Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood president, South Dakota’s Marty Jackley president-elect and Connecticut’s George Jepsen vice president.
Hogan Lovells hires Eduardo Ustaran, privacy and data protection lawyer, as partner, and he will lead European team of global Privacy and Information Management practice … Lobbyist registrations: American Television Alliance, Mercury Strategies, effective March 24 … AnsuR Technologies, satellite and wireless firm, American Defense International, effective May 15 … Electronic Funds Transfer Association, Roberts, Raheb & Gradler, effective May 1 … Entravision, Ogilvy Government Relations, effective April 23.
PeerApp, which caches content for network operators, hires Gadi Tamari, ex-Radvision, as CEO, succeeding Robert Mayer … Among those to be on board of SpinCo, proposed Comcast spinoff of subscribers Comcast is divesting to Charter Communications as part of buying Time Warner Cable (see separate report above in this issue): Rick D'Avino, General Atlantic, James Chiddix, ex-TWC and now on Arris board, Gregory Doody, Vineyard Brands, Dennis Hersch, N.A. Property, Wendell Holland, ex-NARUC and now lawyer in private practice, Greg Maffei, Liberty Media, and Christopher Winfrey, Charter.
Pearl, the consortium of some broadcasters on mobile DTV and digital media, hires Anne Schelle, ex-NAB and Open Mobile Video Coalition, as managing director … Netflix promotes Joris Evers to vice president and head of European communications, and hires Anne Marie Squeo, ex-30 Point Strategies, as director-corporate communications … Unwired Planet, mobile Internet firm, adds to board Dallas Clement, Cox Automotive and ex-Cox Communications.
Bob Ratcliffe retires as FCC Media Bureau deputy chief … Information Technology Industry Council hires Duncan Neasham, ex-office of Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., as communications director … Microsoft hires Preston McAfee, ex-Google, as chief economist … Cox Business names as vice presidents Jeff Breaux, ex-Sprint, to help oversee west region sales and operations, and promotes Hyman Sukiennik for east region sales and operations.
Akin Gump hires from Patton Boggs, which itself is joining with Squire Sanders, Jennifer Richter as partner, communications and information technology practice, and Benjamin Bartlett as an associate, and adds as policy specialist Melanie Goggins, working on issues including technology, in public law and policy practice … Comcast hires Maria Drew, ex-HRStrategistGroup, as senior vice president-human resources, NBCUniversal’s Hispanic Enterprises and Content … Garmin hires Doug Boessen, ex-Collective Brands, as chief financial officer and treasurer, succeeding Kevin Rauckman, to pursue other interests after remaining at GPS company throughout this year … Extreme Networks hires Ken Arola, ex-Align Technology, as senior vice president and chief financial officer.