Webedia, the global media, content and technology network rooted in culturally-driven content, announced the appointment of Matthew Wurst as Managing Director in the U.S. Wurst, who previously worked at 360i as General Manager, Head of Operations, will be responsible for building Webedia’s agency model in the U.S. to help brands reclaim ownership of their content, data and relationships with consumers.
Over the last decade, Wurst has had a front-row seat in defining how social media, content and agency operations converge in the brand marketing and digital ecosystem. In his new role, Wurst will oversee all aspects of the business in the U.S., including client service and strategy, marketing, brand positioning and operational P&L. Webedia currently works with brands including L’Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Dannon, Revlon and more.
“With an incredibly deep arsenal of talent, assets and groundbreaking technology at our disposal, this opportunity is the perfect chance to build on my expertise and unlock new levels of excitement and creative challenges,” Wurst said. “Webedia is in the unique position of being rooted in editorial publishing and understands exactly what content drives engagement and action for brands. I’m excited to help more brands in the U.S. tap into Webedia’s expertise to put brand content back at the center of their marketing strategy.”
Webedia was founded in Paris in 2007 as a traditional online publisher, with diverse and passionate audiences. With more than 50 sites worldwide under the Webedia umbrella, more than 250 million unique visitors engage with Webedia content each month. The company has expanded its global network through both organic growth and acquisitions of talent, media brands, event and production companies and service brands and clients across diverse verticals, including movies, gaming, eSports, lifestyle, food, travel, media and pop culture.
Leveraging expertise in connecting audiences with their passions, Webedia Brand Services helps brands more efficiently and effectively connect with their consumers – from strategy, planning, content and editorial creation through performance optimization and measurement. In addition, Webedia provides brands with a full suite of customized marketing solutions and utilizes proprietary tools that are part of the broader Webedia family of companies. This service model offers brands bespoke options for whatever their marketing needs may be.
“After almost three years of growth in the United States, it was time to increase our presence and footprint and welcome a leader that will implement and expand on our global vision, develop new partnerships, integrate new technologies and broaden our capabilities for the continued growth of the company and the benefit of our clients,” said Raphael Grandemange, CEO of Webedia Brand Services. “We are extremely fortunate to have Matt managing our team in the U.S. His experience in building teams, his unique background in content and operational leadership, and his enthusiasm for our industry is the perfect mix for our employees, clients and company.”
According to Grandemange, Webedia is constantly looking to expand the depth and breadth of its offering to ensure it is developing and executing on the most measurably impactful strategies for clients, whether it be new company acquisitions or developing new capabilities in-house. Wurst will be based in New York, reporting to Grandemange in Paris.
Webedia Brand Services opened its first U.S. office in New York in 2015, and has grown to a team of 30+ people working across social media, content and production curation. In the U.S., Webedia also owns ‘Webedia Movies Pro’ (digital and marketing services for the movie industry), ‘3blackdot’ (gaming culture talent agency), and ‘Full Fathom Five’ (content and IP creation).
