Itai Kathein
An innovator and key influential player in the technology and mobile industry, Itai Kathein has been recognized not just by his peers, but also by trade press and associations. His contributions, particularly surrounding interactive mobile campaigns and consumer advocacy, have been quoted by various publications.
Nielsen Mobile, the authority on mobile research and user engagement, ranked one of Itai’s projects as the #1 mobile community in the country from over 500 leading mobile services. This significant accomplishment surpassed many prominent players, including Fortune 500 companies. Nielsen acknowledged Itai’s company’s as having consistently high user engagement and participation.
Itai’s advocacy of consumer protection and best practices has been noted by the Mobile Market Association (MMA). His company was invited to join a select group of participants who helped set consumer marketing guidelines. MMA’s Director of Industry Initiatives and Partnerships stated the company’s “experience in growing mobile social communities and unique consumer offerings will bring a valuable perspective to the MMA’s Consumer Best Practices Committee.” In collaboration with the largest wireless companies in the country including at&t and Sprint, improved guidelines were introduced to enrich consumer experience. These guidelines were quickly adopted and became standards for the entire industry.
Itai Kathein has received several awards for innovation and excellence in mobile consumer engagement. One such recognition was from the Webby Awards, the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet and mobile. Itai’s company was selected from over 10,000 entries and named Official Honoree in the Best Mobile Social Networking category. As quoted by Webby’s Executive Director, it was acknowledged for “setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet”. The awards were presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Other Official Honorees the same year were Disney Mobile and People Mobile.
Another one of Itai’s award winning projects was a collaboration with VH1. Itai’s company was responsible for the TXT2WIN campaign, which provided interactive mobile service for several of VH1’s highly rated televisions programs. The initiative was selected by the Mobile Excellence Awards and was among leading mobile companies and brands to make the prestigious Finalist list. Following on that success in the entertainment space, Itai joined forces with Endemol Worldwide, the largest global producer of reality shows to develop mobile extension of the vastly popular Deal or No Deal television show. The service helped Endemol expand its audience and revenues via a new channel.
Due to this track record of innovation and success, his company was frequently selected as beta partner of many important industry launches — including deployment of a new technological platform by Verizon and Microsoft. Itai continues to apply his knowledge and experience towards new and exciting projects.
