FreeCause Names Antoine Hage Chief Technology Officer

BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Loyalty technology leader FreeCause announced today it has named veteran technical executive Antoine Hage as its new Chief Technology Officer. Hage is tasked with providing the leadership and vision to help guide FreeCause through the next phase of its explosive growth.

Hage most recently was the Founder and CTO of wApplify, an Austin, TX based technology company, which creates an open-source framework for building HTML5 mobile widgets. At wApplify, Hage led all aspects of architecture, research and development, investment rationalization, and forecasting. Prior to wApplify, Hage was Co-Founder and CTO of Kyube Inc., a Boston-based software company that simplifies the creation, management, and evolution of websites and web applications. Hage led Kyube in the successful raising of $2.5 million from angels and investors. Previously, Hage also held CTO positions at Abeo Inc. (London) and Phoenicia Valley (Paris).

"I am thrilled to join the FreeCause team to lead in the development of next generation rewards technology," said Antoine Hage. "What FreeCause has accomplished in a relatively short period of time is unbelievable. I look forward to working with the technology team to push the boundaries of what we offer our clients, and most importantly, our consumers."

As CTO of FreeCause, Hage will lead a talented team of engineers in the strategic planning, prioritization, and development of FreeCause and Rakuten loyalty and rewards technology solutions. Hage's technical experience, leadership, and track record of innovation made him an ideal fit for FreeCause. "FreeCause has experienced tremendous year-over-year growth due to our innovation and market-leading technology, and in order to continue this trend, we needed a visionary technologist to lead us forward," said Michael Jaconi, CEO of FreeCause. "Antoine brings the perfect blend of technical expertise and leadership. His ability to intellectually challenge and stimulate our engineering corps was something our team craved and Antoine will deliver."

About FreeCause

FreeCause, one of the fastest growing technology companies in Boston, specializes in building innovative software that enables major brands, loyalty programs, sports teams, and nonprofits to monetize and reward consumers for their online behavior. The FreeCause team develops award winning, revolutionary new technology that allows consumers to connect with their favorite brands while simultaneously giving these consumers an enriched web experience. With more than 20 million subscribers, the FreeCause advanced loyalty and engagement solutions reward consumers as they search the Internet, or when they shop through the FreeCause network of over 3,500 online retailers. FreeCause is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten, Inc. (JASDAQ: 4755).

About Rakuten

Rakuten, Inc. (JASDAQ: 4755), is one of the world's leading Internet service companies, providing a variety of consumer and business-focused services including e-commerce, travel, banking, securities, credit card, e-money, portal & media, online marketing and professional sports. Rakuten is expanding globally and currently has operations throughout Asia, Western Europe, and the Americas. Founded in 1997, Rakuten is headquartered in Tokyo, with over 10,000 employees worldwide. For more information, visit http://global.rakuten.com/group

SOURCE FreeCause