Grupo RBS launches e.Bricks Digital, a digital business development company based on a pioneering model and with Brazilian DNA

SAO PAULO, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo RBS, one of Brazil's leading media groups, will officially launch its digital business development company, e.Bricks Digital, on October 8. The new company emerges out of RBS' new business branch, which was created in 2011 to strengthen the company's activities in this segment.

The Company

e.Bricks Digital is an independent company and a Digital Pure Player, developing businesses by making strategic investments in innovative companies that are growing fast, led by superior entrepreneurs and leaders in their area of business.

e.Bricks Digital's portfolio already includes Wine.com.br, Latin America's largest online wine merchant, Predicta, a reference in online media technology, Grupo.Mobi, Brazil's largest mobile marketing and advertising company, Guia da Semana, ObaOba, and Hagah, leaders in local entertainment guides, Lets, Brazil's first online fast fashion brand, and Hi-Midia, Brazil's largest performance media network.

"e.Bricks Digital is the culmination of a mature and robust digital project undertaken by the RBS Group. We are convinced we are taking a strong step towards building an ecosystem of unique digital companies, creating Brazil's most powerful business platform. e.Bricks emerges to participate in sectors known for innovation and strong growth, backed by the strength and reputation of Grupo RBS, with its know-how of the digital market, and its capacity to invest and manage excellence" said Eduardo Sirotsky Melzer, Executive President of Grupo RBS. "We want e.Bricks to be an important business environment in the digital world, one where entrepreneurs, investors and winning groups can join forces and develop projects that make a difference" he added.

Investment strategy

e.Bricks Digital invests in fast growing companies led by excellent entrepreneurs and active in industries where there is significant potential for growth. The three main segments it invests in are: segmented e-commerce, mobile and digital media, and technology. Technology and scalability are at the core of its strategy. The company is active in a market that could reach R$ 66 billion in revenue by 2015.

Helping companies grow by providing capital, strategic planning, better governance practices and access to the best talents in the market, e.Bricks Digital will enable faster growth and the ability to sustainably scale up businesses. "e.Bricks believes in the partnership between executives and entrepreneurs, with significant investments in business development and professionalization of management practices and governance" said Fabio Bruggioni, CEO of e.Bricks Digital. "We are confident we have the best people, both at e.Bricks as well as in the companies that make up our portfolio. The combination of executives and entrepreneurs with significant expertise in digital and the presence and reputation the RBS Group has in Brazil makes this a unique project" added Bruggioni.

e.Bricks Digital Management

In April 2011, Grupo RBS appointed Fabio Bruggioni to be the CEO of its digital operations. Bruggioni is a former Vice President of Telefonica (currently Vivo), and has ample management experience. As the CEO of e.Bricks Digital his challenges are to strengthen the current digital media & technology, e-commerce and mobile business portfolio, and develop new market opportunities.

"This industry is in its infancy and we are working to built an ecosystem that favors digital entrepreneurism, bringing together entrepreneurs, executives, investors, business partners, advertisers and digital entrepreneurs so that we may develop this new market together" said Bruggioni.

Andiara Petterle will head up the e.Bricks Digital Strategy and Business Department. Andiara is a leading industry executive and digital media entrepreneur. She is the former CEO of Grupo Bolsa de Mulher, and in 2011 joined the RBS team in charge of developing the company's new digital branch.  She is responsible for new business and for the portfolio development strategy. Her prior experience includes Organizacoes Globo, Starmedia and Cade.

Felipe Matsunaga is the e.Bricks Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. He has over ten years experience in M&As, and has focused on the digital market for over four years. He has worked for leading multinationals such as Telefonica and Louis Dreyfus in M&A and strategic planning. Matsunaga joined the e.Bricks Digital team in April 2011, and has been a key executive to identify companies with consolidated business and potential for investment.

Raphael Duailibi is the Director of Operation and Governance. He has 13 years experience in telecom, internet and communications, having worked for Grupo Abril, the Yankee Group and Telefonica/Vivo. He has led a number of areas with complex operations such as sales, call centers, logistics, invoicing and planning. He has a degree in Business from the University of Sao Paulo and is a key executive to strengthen company processes and operations.

Ricardo Hudson is the CFO of e.Bricks Digital. He has held management positions for the past 14 years, including important positions at Telefonica and Schinchariol. At e.Bricks Digital he is responsible for implementing the governance practices strategy and for the control function in the companies in which it invests.

The Brand

Precision, alignment and fit. These were the three fundamental elements we defined with Asia Branding to come up with a brand for the new RBS Group company. The name e.Bricks Digital emerges inspired on the key elements used to build solid structures - bricks - that fit together step by step to create a solid base. The letter "e" is the part of the name that confirms that this is a 100% digital company in its very essence. The colors represent e.Bricks Digital's business fronts: mobile, e-commerce and digital media and technology.

"Fit and agility are essential elements for creating a solid base. When I look at our new brand I can clearly see our value proposition, as each of the pieces fulfills its role. This is the perfect representation of the partnership we want to have at all levels, and our belief that we are building the strongest business platform in Brazil's digital market" said Fabio Bruggioni.

Companies we invest in

The driving force of e.Bricks Digital in Brazil is its strategy to invest in companies with a digital DNA that already have a consolidated position in the market. It also plans to purchase new companies and expand its activities to other countries in Latin America.

The following companies are already part of the e.Bricks Digital portfolio:

Segmented e-commerce

Wine

Announced in May 2012, Wine.com.br is Latin America's largest wine e-merchant and one of the more recent additions to the e.Bricks Digital portfolio. Established in November 2008, it is a leading wine club and wine e-commerce player, growing at an annual rate of over 70%. Led by Rogerio Salume, the company carries over two thousand premium wine labels from the world's leading vintners. It also offers Clube W, a subscription wine club with over 13 thousand active members who receive a Wine Box each month containing two, four or six wines selected by the Wine Sommelier. The company is also betting on the B2B segment. The investments made in Wine will enable the company to continue to expand internationally, as it plans operations in Latin America, the United States and Europe.

Lets

Lets has been part of the e.Bricks Digital portfolio since August 2012. It is a pioneer e-commerce pure player, selling products under its own and third party brands. The goal is to offer the latest trends through a smart buying experience that offers style and quality using intuitive tools. The Brazilian online fast fashion brand was conceived from a project developed by e-commerce and fashion experts Karen Sanchez and Paola Haidar, the executives who now head Lets. The company has a team that specializes in the Internet, e-commerce and fashion, which is responsible for creating a customized digital environment, curated by designers and engaged with social networks, seeking a close relationship with consumers.  

Mobile

Grupo.Mobi

Created as .Mobi in 2007 by Leo Xavier, Sergio Percope, Joao Carvalho and Flavia Biasotto, Grupo.Mobi is Latin America's leading mobile marketing and advertising group. Associating with Grupo RBS allowed Grupo.Mobi to grow its operations and consolidate its position in the Brazilian mobile marketing market, based on its pillars of platform solutions, on-demand development, mobile media, games and knowledge creation. Today Grupo.Mobi includes Aorta, FingerTips, Hand and Instituto Mobilize.

Digital media and technology

Predicta

Predicta was established in 1999 and is the Brazilian leader and world reference in technology for digital advertising and online marketing. Led by its founders, Marcelo Marzola, Phillip Klien and Walter Silva, the company offers high tech solutions and services to manage the online presence.  With platforms in over 100 countries, Predicta is known in the market as being innovative - in 2012 Fast Company elected it to be one of the ten most innovative companies in Brazil. The company will open a facility in Silicon Valley, a technology cluster in the US, in 2012.

Guia da Semana + Oba Oba + Hagah

Launched in November 2003, Guia da Semana is Brazil's leading entertainment guide with articles on leisure, culture and gastronomy covering 21 cities in Brazil.

ObaOba is a leading entertainment portal, focusing on Brazil's younger audience. It lists parties, clubbing events, bars, restaurants, movies, motels and shows in Brazil's main regions. Over 20 thousand establishments are registered with ObaOba.

Hagah is the largest local guidebook for the Southern Region, with over 3.3 unique views a month. Over 1.4 establishments in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Parana and Sao Paulo are registered with Hagah. It also offers theme-based guides that focus on local recommendations and user services.

The three companies area led by executives Henrique Moraes, formerly the VP of Telefonica, and Antonio Coelho, the former head of strategy at Globo.com.

Hi-Midia

Created in 2005, it has been part of the e.Bricks Digital portfolio since May, 2011. Hi-Midia specializes in the sale of online media, focusing on segmentation and performance. Led by Julien Turri, the CEO and Marcos Garcia, VP of Marketing and Sales, it is Brazil's largest verticals network and has over 14 performance media partners. Ad Network serves over 300 advertising agencies across Brazil.

In Press Porter Novelli Assessoria de Comunicacao
For further information please contact:
Luisa Pinheiro – [email protected] – +55-11-3323-3756
Hebe Veiga – [email protected] - +55-21-3723-8160
www.inpresspni.com.br

SOURCE e.Bricks Digital

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