Jajah CEO gets Telefonica chief innovation job
When Telefonica O2 bought Jajah in December 2009, it looked like a mismatch – at least in terms of size. One of the world’s largest operators paired with a Silicon valley based VoIP service innovator. But now Telefonica has turned that investment into something that looks as much like a piece of talent acquisition as it does company acquisition.
The investment has yielded one operator-branded service in Germany, launched in July 2010. http://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/news/press-wire/7809-o2-launches-international-mvoip-service
As you’ll see if you read that link, Trevor Healy, Jajah CEO, told Mobile Europe at the time that he wanted Jajah to act as a “platform for innovation” within Telefonica. Well, it now looks like he is to get the opportunity to do just that.
Telefonica O2 has moved Healy into a position overseeing all innovation across Telefonica O2’s European footprint. From this new position, Healy will be tasked with developing O2’s strategy not just in VoIP based services, but in how the operator engages with the whole range of internet-based communications applications.
In return, Jajah gets a new head – Steve Alder, the current head of devices at O2. Healy will stay involved with Jajah as chairman.
The move is an endorsement of the fact that Telefonica O2 is increasingly becoming one of the more forward thinking outfits amongst Tier One operators. Its BlueVia development platform attracts credit from developers, who appreciate that the operator is trying to meet and work with them on their terms. Its work with Jajah shows that it is willing to promote innovation within the organisation, and also across the organisation.