Mobile Entertainment Forum expands to Latin America with launch in Brazil

• Ron Czerny to serve as Acting Chair & Filipe Roup Rosa joins as General Manager for MEF LATAM
• MEF LATAM to focus on issues of double-taxation and regulation
• 26 Founding Members announced - Founding membership open to LATAM companies until January 31, 2010 & MEF Board LATAM Elections to take place in February 2010

Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), the global trade association of the mobile media industry, has announced the launch of its Latin America chapter (MEF LATAM) with an inaugural meeting in Sao Paulo that attracted over 100 companies across the value-chain last week. MEF LATAM’s mission will be to foster an environment conducive to driving mobile entertainment development across the region, by creating dialogue between the industry and regulators, as well as driving initiatives that promote best practices and sustainable business solutions.

MEF LATAM has already attracted 26 major companies as founding members, including 2ergo, Binbit, Blink, Boltcel, Buongiorno, Comfone, cVidya, Dada, Flycell, Fox Mobile Distribution, Getjar, Impact Mobile, KPMG, Masurlaw, NeoMobile, Nokia , Omnifone, PlayPhone , RIM , Silverstreet , Sony Music, Sony Pictures, SPB Software, Telefonica, TIM and Zed.

Ron Czerny, Acting Chair of MEF LATAM and CEO of Playphone said: “MEF provides a strong vehicle for the mobile entertainment industry as a whole to represent its interests through one coherent voice. The quality of the founding members is a great achievement for MEF LATAM which will serve as a source of strength for achieving solutions and clear results in the region.” During the meeting, Filipe Roup Rosa was announced as General Manager, MEF LATAM. He is based in Sao Paulo which will serve as the regional headquarters. Rosa highlighted that “the growth of mobile media in Latin America is exponential, but that speed has created gaps in regulation. MEF’s intention is to act strongly to address regulatory issues and tackle problems such as the tax burden on our industry with effective measures. We will also act quickly to elect the first regional board of MEF LATAM and implement the action plan set out by members.”

“MEF's international expertise in working with regulators, identifying sustainable business models and accelerating market entry opportunities will foster the growth of the industry and deliver competitive advantage to our members. These tools have made MEF successful worldwide and will form the core aspects of our work in LATAM."

Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director

“Our goal is to foster collaboration between local regulators and our members. Underpinning the phenomenal growth in Brazil and the future success of the mobile entertainment industry is consumer trust in mobile media. Growth comes from having regulatory frameworks or Codes that are transparent, consistent in their application and proportionate to the harm they are trying to prevent.”

Suhail Bhat, MEF Policy and Initiatives Director

LATAM-MEF Founding Members
The MEF-LATAM group founding are: 2ergo, Binbit, Blink, Boltcel, Buongiorno, Comfone, cVidya, Dada, Flycell, Fox Mobile Distribution, Getjar, Impact Mobile, KPMG, Masurlaw, NeoMobile, Nokia , Omnifone, PlayPhone , RIM , Silverstreet , Sony Music, Sony Pictures, SPB Software, Telefonica, TIM and Zed.

Founding member status open until January 31, 2010.

Companies interested in becoming members should contact Filipe@m-e-f.org