OITG consists of three new divisions, Opera Interactive – a consultancy dedicated to all forms of media, print and television; Opera Radio – a brand new radio venture; and Opera Technology Services, which will handle all of the infrastructure capabilities within the OITG group.
Gary Corbett, founder of Opera Telecom, becomes Chairman of OITG. Shane Leahy, formerly Managing Director of Opera Telecom Ireland, has been appointed CEO of OITG.
Gary Corbett, Chairman of OITG, says, “Opera Telecom was among the fastest growing private companies in the UK and one of the largest Network Operators in the UK and Ireland. However, the marketplace has evolved and so has our business. The sector is developing at a furious pace, there is a continuous thirst for new ideas as well as ongoing technology challenges, and the revenue potential is still not clearly understood.”
Corbett continues, “The newly formed Opera Interactive Technology Group now provides us with three specialist divisions which provide clients with the very best service across all forms of media and communication. We will now be able to work more closely with clients, helping to answer their business needs, whilst developing and implementing creative campaigns that combine the expertise of our people, our position in the market and the reliability of our infrastructure, locally, nationally and internationally.”
Shane Leahy, Chief Executive Officer of OITG, says, “With traditional TV and radio advertising revenues continuing to fall, media owners are desperately looking for alternative revenue generators. New interactive services provide the answer by helping to plug the advertising gap. However, media companies need the ability to execute quickly, by combining self-serve customer elements with fresh campaign ideas, cross-fertilised from international markets.”
Leahy continues, “OITG’s international focus means that we are working with clients at the forefront of global innovation in the media industry. We are able to help media companies to run innovative campaigns, by giving them a unique insight into campaigns and formats that have already proven to be successful in terms of popularity/revenue generation in other markets.”
OITG is forecasting 100% growth over the next 18 months, as media companies look to fully exploit the use of interactive technology as a means of engaging with their target audience. OITG provides media owners with a number of benefits over the competition. Corbett concludes, “We have a global business so we are well placed to advise companies on what drives interactive revenues, and we are able to roll out new campaigns within hours, using our own gateway and infrastructure. We are also guaranteeing clients that we will help them make money from interactive strategies - this is a compelling proposition which we believe will enable us to become the Number 1 provider of interactive media, mobile and voice solutions.”