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Eagle Eye makes significant appointment of a new chairman and completes a successful funding round

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Key appointment and additional funding for Eagle Eye, the leading digital marketing platform solutions business for retail

London, 19th June 2013 – Eagle Eye, the retail digital marketing platform company, has appointed Robert (Bob) Willett as Chairman to the board. Bob has an impressive track record in multi channel retail and technology industries from hands on operational roles in Marks & Spencer, Bestbuy, Kingfisher Group and Gateway as well as years of experience as Global Managing Partner and member of the Executive Committee responsible for the retail practise in Accenture. Bob comes with significant global retail and mobile experience in a career in which he has focused on the customer experience and using customer insights to drive better marketing decisions. In particular, Bob developed and led the partnership with Carphone Warehouse to form BestBuy mobile that he chaired until his retirement in January 2010. Bob joins the Eagle Eye board alongside Sir Terry Leahy, Bill Currie and Chris Gorell Barnes, all with extensive investment and retail experience.

In addition, Eagle Eye has just completed a successful second round of private equity funding, raising a significant amount from existing and new investors. In a tough fund raising environment Eagle Eye has secured this funding to accelerate product development, sales and marketing and enable the launch of their leading solutions globally.  The Eagle Eye proposition for enterprises transforms their use of mobile channels by delivering vouchers and coupons that are issued and redeemed digitally, improving the customer journey and closing the customer insight loop.

Steve Rothwell, CEO, Eagle Eye says of the new appointment “we are thrilled to have Bob joining as Chairman, his experience coupled with the existing team of seasoned retail and digital marketing technology experts will take Eagle Eye to the next level of success. On the back of this latest fund raise, our recently granted technology patents and some great new customer wins we are poised to take our solutions to a broader base of customers globally.”

Eagle Eye appoints Phillip Blundell as Finance Director

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Phillip Blundell, former CEO of digital banking software company Intelligent Environments, has joined digital redemption leaders Eagle Eye as Commercial and Finance Director. In this newly created role, Phill will be responsible for driving forward the commercial growth and focus of the business, and expansion into new countries. He has also been appointed a main Board Director, joining the likes of ex-Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy and Simon Burke, to agree and lead the sales strategy.

During his 14-year tenure at Intelligent Environments, Phill spearheaded a number of high profile digital banking and payment products for companies such as John Lewis, O2 and Home Retail Group. His knowledge and expertise of working with retail, mobile and financial services clients in developing new payment products will be crucial to the rapid expansion of Eagle Eye.

Phillip Blundell commented: “Eagle Eye is the sector leader in this rapidly growing market for digital redemption, so I’m thrilled to be joining the team. The real-time, secure digital issuance and redemption platform has enabled some of the UK’s most eminent retail brands such as Tesco, Pizza Express and Warehouse to fundamentally change the way they engage with their customers. I look forward to helping Eagle Eye drive further digital marketing, voucher, loyalty and payment innovations into the retail and leisure industries.”

Steve Rothwell, CEO, Eagle Eye, added: “We’re excited to welcome Phillip on board. With solid strategic and commercial knowledge, he will strengthen Eagle Eye’s senior management team as our business growth continues to accelerate.”

Russell Buckley Becomes Eagle Eye Advisor

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Eagle Eye’s CMO, Russell Buckley, has announced that he’s going to step down from full time role at Eagle Eye from February, though we’re delighted to say that he will continue to act in an advisory capacity in the future and support the company in an ad hoc role.

“When I started at Eagle Eye” writes Russell, “Steve Rothwell [CEO] and I agreed that the day would come when I could take a step back and pursue my many other interests in mobile and technology, as an investor, advisor and mentor, as well as a speaker and writer. I’m pleased to say that the job I was appointed to do is now complete. We’ve recruited a great sales and marketing team, establishing the Eagle Eye brand and marketing assets and put Eagle Eye on the map as the leader in mobile coupons and the voice of authority in the sector. With a raft of new clients coming on board in 2012, I’m very confident that Steve’s leadership will continue to deliver fantastic results for all of Eagle Eye’s stakeholders.”

“Russell joined us at a critical time in our corporate development” responded Steve Rothwell “and achieved all the goals we set when he joined. We have always known the time would come when Russell would leave to pursue his other interests and we are very sad this time has come. I am very pleased that he will maintain his interest in the company and be an advisor to us as we continue our rapid growth. Personally, I thank Russell for all his hard work, support and friendship over the past year and I look forward to working with him again in the future.”

So, as Eagle Eye ponders continued International expansion, it’s definitely “Au Revoir” from us to Russell and certainly not “Adieu”.

Simon Burke appointed Chairman of Eagle Eye

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Simon Burke, the former Chief Executive of Virgin Entertainment Group and Chairman of Hamleys PLC, has today joined Eagle Eye Solutions, the market leader in mobile voucher issue and redemption technology for retailers, as Chairman.

Simon Burke is a highly experienced retailer, having led or been a Board member of a host of prominent UK retail brands, including Virgin Megastores, WH Smith, Hamleys, and Majestic Wine. He is currently Chairman of Hobbycraft and Mitchells & Butlers PLC, and is a Director of the BBC.

Eagle Eye Solutions is the market leader in delivering mobile voucher issuance and redemption technology to retailers. The key to any digital voucher is the ability to redeem simply and securely, in real time and with the ability to track customer usage. Eagle Eye delivers that vision today for retailers, using the Chip and PIN pad and without any requirement for a massive upgrade of retail/EPoS systems. Eagle Eye is already working with many prominent retailers including Comet, Aurora Fashions, Blockbuster and Virgin Active.

“I am very pleased to be joining Eagle Eye. Mobile vouchers are the next big thing in retail and leisure. This technology offers the only easy way to redeem these vouchers securely and in a way which tracks the usage, both of which can be invaluable to businesses. I look forward to working with the Eagle Eye team and helping to drive this innovation further into the retail and leisure sectors” said Simon Burke.

Steve Rothwell, CEO, Eagle Eye Solutions, said: “We’re delighted that such an experienced and high profile figure in the retail industry is joining Eagle Eye at a time when we’re enjoying a rapid expansion of our retail partnerships. Mobile vouchers are going to be key for retail mobile marketing and it’s great that our solutions are going to play such such a pivotal role in the future of retail”

Read more about it here:
City AM – Simon Burke takes job at mobile vouchers company
Retail Bulletin – Simon Burke joins Eagle Eye as Chairman
Retail Gazette – Eagle Eye Solutions appoints Simon Burke as Chairman
Mobile Europe – Simon Burke appointed Chairman of mobile voucher redemption specialist Eagle Eye Solutions
Mobile Entertainment – Eagle Eye Solutions hires former CEO of Virgin Entertainment
Retail Times – Mobile voucher provider to retailers has Eagle Eye for new chairman
Mobile Marketing Magazine – Simon Burke Joins Eagle Eye as Chairman
M&M – New chairman for Eagle Eye Solutions
Growth Business – Eagle Eye Solutions hires retail veteran Burke
Retail Week – Burke to chair Eagle Eye Solutions
Retail Design & Technology – A further appointment at Eagle Eye Solutions

 

Russell Buckley, joins Eagle Eye as CMO

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Russell Buckley, former VP of Global Alliances at Admob (now owned by Google), has today joined mobile voucher and redemption technology provider Eagle Eye Solutions as Chief Marketing Officer.

Buckley joined AdMob in 2006 as its first employee, with the remit to launch the company in the EMEA region. Buckley had been working in mobile marketing since 2000 and was already a high profile figure, becoming well known via his blog, MobHappy. He subsequently was appointed to a worldwide spokesperson role for AdMob as VP of Global Alliances, before the company was acquired by Google for $750m in May 2010.

“It’s a very exciting time to be joining the Eagle Eye team. Digital redemption of mobile coupons to stimulate store visits has long been a requirement for sectors such as retail and FMCG to start seriously spending in the mobile channel. After careful research, I’m confident that Eagle Eye has the best solution on the market and more importantly, one which actually works today. Everyone in the ecosystem from the ad networks to the group buying companies is a potential partner for this technology and I’m looking forward to being part of another huge success in the mobile marketing space,” said Russell Buckley, CMO, Eagle Eye Solutions.

Digital redemption via the mobile has been a missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle for the last decade in mobile marketing. Eagle Eye Solutions delivers that vision today for retailers, without the requirement for a massive upgrade of the retail/EPoS systems that other mobile voucher solutions like barcodes and NFC, inevitably require.

Steve Rothwell, CEO, Eagle Eye Solutions, said: “Russell joining both validates the sector and the Eagle Eye model, pointing to rapid expansion in coming months. Russell has an enviable track record of spotting the next big thing before it happens and Eagle Eye will be the next mega-trend in mobile marketing. We’re delighted that such a high profile figure in the mobile marketing industry is joining Eagle Eye at a time when we’re planning a rapid expansion of our retail partnerships. Both retailers and brands are expressing keen interest and our results to date point to a very powerful marketing tool for mobile.”

Buckley’s role will focus on working with retailers, brands and agencies to educate and evangelise the use of mobile vouchers through all marketing channels, from traditional media, such as TV and Print right through to mobile advertising.