Business

Applicaster has appointed Sharon Gelbaum-Shpan, previously of Reshet Media, as the company’s chief marketing officer. Gelbaum-Shpan’s extensive TV and media expertise, together with Applicaster’s technology and proficiency in building high quality apps for leading broadcasters, media companies and publishers world-wide, creates a unique synergy to fuel the company’s growth. Sharon joins Applicaster to lead the company’s market expansion strategy, offering existing customers such as Fox International, Televisa, ProSieben.Sat1, Mediaset and DirecTV new high quality and modular SaaS platform and tools to quickly deploy quality media apps that engage audiences on all screens.

“I’ve known Sharon as a rising star in the new landscape of content and digital, leading Reshet’s partnership and cooperation with ESG, ITV, Talpa and countless broadcast and publishing groups around the world”, said Jonathan Laor, Applicaster’s CEO. “I’ve always been impressed with her thought leadership and unstoppable energy. These are the qualities we look for in our result-driven culture.”

Prior to joining Applicaster, Gelbaum-Shpan served as EVP International & Corporate Development at Reshet Media, where she was part of the team that took over the company in 2009 and turned it over to become Israel’s no. 1 broadcaster. Sharon also founded and headed ‘The Lab’, a joint venture between Reshet and ITV studios that also created Reshet’s most successful original brand ‘Game of Chefs’ produced in several territories world-wide.

Commenting on her new position, Ms. Gelbaum-Shpan said: “In a time when content consumption habits are rapidly changing and viewers are migrating to platforms outside the TV screen, Applicaster has the technology, know-how and solutions to enable the shift, and power customers’ expansion and growth through quality and modular apps. I’m excited to join Applicaster and work on creating new opportunities and new market synergies for the company’s offering.”

In previous positions Gelbaum-Shpan was founding General Partner of Poalim Growth, General Counsel of the OshapGroup (NASDAQ:OSHSF, later acquired by SunGard), and Partner at Pitango Venture Capital.

She joined Poalim Growth following seven years at Pitango Venture Capital where she was a Partner and served on the Board of Directors of portfolio companies including Red Bend Software, Inc. (acquired by Harman Industries in 2015), Borderfree Inc. (Nasdaq:BRDR acquired by Pitney Bowes in 2015), and ForescoutTechnologies Inc.