Next Issue Media Announces Key Additions to Senior Executive Team

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Issue Media, the digital publishing venture of Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corporation and Time, Inc., announced the addition of four new members to its executive management team.  The company also announced the opening of its new technology development offices in the Silicon Valley.

Senior Executive Team

Effective immediately, Keith Barraclough has been named Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President - Products; Richard Quach has been named Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations; David Irvine has been named Vice President of Software Architecture; and Alex Limberis has been named Vice President of Business Development.  Each of the four executives brings over 20 years experience in the technology and digital services arenas.  In addition, Barraclough, Quach and Irvine previously worked together at Avvenu as members of that company's executive team, creating one of the first consumer-facing digital media sharing services before successfully selling the company to Nokia in December 2007.

Commenting on today's announcement, Morgan Guenther, President and Chief Executive Officer of Next Issue Media, stated "Taken together, Keith, Richard, Dave and Alex represent a Silicon Valley 'dream team' for Next Issue Media.  Their experience and expertise – melding technical vision with a track record for execution across the digital media landscape – will create the industry leading foundation for the delivery of interactive magazine and newspaper content to consumers."

Most recently, Barraclough acted as general manager of Nokia's Ovi.com services portal, heading up development of that company's email, IM and social application and service offerings.  Prior to co-founding Avvenu, Barraclough was an "entrepreneur in residence" at Charles River Ventures, and before that, served as President and Chief Operating Officer of 8x8, a company that provides enabling technologies and software for value added IP-based communications.  Barraclough holds 11 patents in graphics, voice and video communications over IP and distributed media processing systems.  He received his bachelor's degree in electronic engineering and computer science from University College, London, and a master's degree in communication engineering from Imperial College, London.

At Nokia, Quach managed the research and development effort for the Ovi.com services portal as well as a separate network development team.  He joined Avvenu from the products and technology group at AOL, where he led a 250-person development team that delivered consumer applications to 30 million subscribers worldwide.  Quach's team also developed and maintained well-known AOL products such as: You've Got Pictures; My AOL; AOL Calendar; Shop@AOL; and AOL Alerts.  He received a bachelor's degree from the American University in Paris and a master's degree in computer and information science from the University of Pennsylvania.

In his role as Chief Architect at Nokia, Irvine was responsible for software architecture across a broad collection of consumer-facing web-based services and infrastructure. Prior to co-founding Avvenu, he was responsible for the architecture and development of software systems at several leading technology companies including Apple, PointCast and the Windward Group.  Irvine graduated from San Jose State University, earning his bachelor's degree in molecular biology.

Limberis joins Next Issue Media from Popbox, a Silicon Valley startup that produces software, devices and web services for connected entertainment solutions, where he served as COO.  Prior to that, Limberis held numerous senior roles in key companies across the digital media landscape, including "entrepreneur in residence" and Strategy Director at Dolby Labs and Director of Wireless, Broadband and Consumer Electronics at Microsoft.  He holds four patents in the digital media field.  Limberis received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Cogswell Polytechnic College and his MBA from Santa Clara University.

Silicon Valley Office

Next Issue Media's new technology development offices are located in Palo Alto, California.  Opening in October 2010, the center will be home to the new senior executive team as well as to an expanding team of the best and brightest talent in the Silicon Valley, including technology, product and ultra-scalable infrastructure developers.  The office will also become the center for outbound business development efforts.  The company's offices in New York will continue to be home to marketing, finance, advertising and publisher relations activities.

About Next Issue Media

Next Issue Media is a revolutionary end-to-end publishing platform founded by five leading global publishers and designed to develop, market and deliver interactive magazine and newspaper content to consumers via the digital device of their choice.  Our mission is to provide not only publishers, but advertisers, consumers and technology partners alike, an easy and economical entree into the e-reading channel.

SOURCE Next Issue Media