Apple makes two mobile advertising hires in Europe

Apple has hired two well-known figures in the mobile advertising world for European positions with its recently-acquired Quattro Wireless mobile advertising firm. Theo Theodorou, former mobile advertising sales manager for Microsoft in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market, has been hired as head of EMEA sales at Quattro Wireless. New Media Age reports that Theodorou is coming from publisher Hachette Filipacchi, where he was appointed commercial director of digital sales in October 2009. Apple has also hired Todd Tran, formerly managing director of Group M-owned mobile marketing agency Joule, as general manager of the Apple mobile ad network in Europe. Apple purchased Quattro Wireless for $275 million earlier this year, with former Quattro head Andy Miller joining Apple as Vice President, Mobile Advertising; when asked about the acquisition during its First Quarter 2010 Financial Results Conference Call, Apple executives said that the company wanted to acquire Quattro to offer developers a way to easily monetize apps, especially free offerings, adding, “we’re going to work hard to provide developers a great opportunity and we’ll see where it takes us.”