TORONTO, July 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost a year after a criminal hack, Avid Life Media, the company that owns and operates Ashley Madison and other online dating brands, is breaking its silence with the news it has appointed a new CEO and President to lead the company.

Newly appointed CEO Rob Segal and newly appointed President James Millership are three months into their new roles at Avid Life Media and the duo have transformative changes planned for the company and its flagship brand Ashley Madison.

In its first public communication since Segal and Millership took over, Avid Life Media is sharing a social media and radio message with its members — and has announced a new direction and total repositioning of all its brands.

"A year ago, Avid Life Media was silenced by a devastating, criminal hack that affected our company and some of our members. The company is truly sorry for how people's lives and relationships may have been affected by the criminal theft of personal information. That's why we're charting a new course and making some big changes," says Segal.

"Like all businesses in today's security reality, Avid Life Media has been investing even more heavily in security enhancements and privacy safeguards to deal with evolving cyber threats over the past year, and that will continue," he adds. Following the criminal hack on the company, Segal says Avid Life Media partnered with Deloitte's cyber security team, one of the world's leading integrated cyber risk management consultants, to implement new and enhanced security safeguards and 24/7 monitoring. The company is also introducing new, secure and discreet payment options.

"Our new team is committed to taking care of our members and to building on our portfolio of unique and open-minded online dating brands," says Millership, who confirms a total business transformation and rebranding is in the works for Avid Life Media, Ashley Madison and all the company's brands. "Millions of people have continued to connect on our sites during the past year and they deserve a discreet, open-minded community where they can connect with like-minded individuals," he says.

Due Diligence Journey
Both Segal and Millership were carefully selected for their unique leadership abilities: Segal for his marketing and communications leadership; and, Millership for his operational and repositioning experience. Millership and Segal each bring more than 20 years' experience in helping companies reposition, evolve and grow. 

New Leadership & Vision Set to Transform Ashley Madison
When they first were presented with the opportunity to lead Avid Life Media, Segal says they were intrigued enough to embark on an extensive due diligence process.

"We talked about how we could help modernize Ashley Madison with a more open-minded, adventurous spirit," recalls Segal. "Soon we were deep into a few months of due diligence to discover what challenges the company was facing and if the fundamentals were in place to allow the company to evolve and grow," he says.

During their due diligence process, the Board mandated a team of independent forensic accounting investigators to review past business practices around bots and the ratio of male and female US members who were active on the site.

The investigation confirmed for Segal and Millership that bots were no longer in use and verified the authenticity of female members. "My understanding is that bots are widespread in the industry, but they are no longer being used, and will not be used, at Avid Life Media and Ashley Madison," says Millership.  The independent report confirms that the company discontinued the practise in North America in 2014 and internationally in 2015, he explains. 

Building the World's Most Open-Minded Dating Community
"Thousands of new members join Ashley Madison every day from all around the world," says Millership. "With the right investment, innovation and customer care, the brand has promising potential to overcome its current challenges," he says.

Segal and Millership's ultimate goal is to rebuild Ashley Madison as the world's most open-minded dating community. "We're investing heavily in technology – and we're looking at acquisitions, a total rebranding, new features, partnerships and new ventures," says Millership, adding that the company is in the midst of constructing a new office in Toronto to give its team of 100 employees a completely fresh start.

"Repositioning Avid Life Media and Ashley Madison is an exciting challenge," says Segal.  "We believe Ashley Madison can transform to better reflect modern relationships and operate with open-minded integrity and an adventurous spirit. Our team will continue to share updates and more information over the next few months as we build upon that vision," he says.

About Avid Life Media
Avid Life Media is a privately held company that owns and operates many of the world's most open-minded and unique dating brands, including: Ashley Madison, Established Men and Cougar Life.  Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. To learn more and follow the transformation, visit ashleymadison.com 

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SOURCE Avid Life Media