Shazam poaches BBC’s Danker
March 25, 2013
Shazam the media engagement company, has hired Daniel Danker as Chief Product Officer. In this newly created position, Danker will be responsible for leading the product expansion of the Shazam service which is used by more than 300 million people globally.
Danker is General Manager of Programmes and On Demand at the BBC and has been responsible for strategy and delivery of the BBC’s iPlayer, iPlayer Radio, and Red Button products. At last weeks TV Connect he issued a call to arms for the connected TV market to cooperate more.
“Shazam is enjoying tremendous growth, including its successful expansion into television in the US, UK, Europe and Asia. With his unparalleled expertise in delivering some of the world’s leading digital experiences for consumers and broadcast partners, Daniel will significantly strengthen our leadership team. Together, we will continue to help consumers discover and engage with the world around them,” said Shazam CEO, Andrew Fisher.
The Shazam for TV service was launched in 2011 in the US for advertising and select television programmes and has since expanded to include all programming on 160 channels. In the last year, Shazam for TV advertising has launched the UK, Western Europe and Asia.
Danker said: “Producing one of the most-downloaded apps of all time, Shazam has built its reputation on providing people with a discovery experience for music and television that sets the standard. I look forward to using my experience at Microsoft and the BBC to help Shazam create engaging products that delight.”
In addition to working on Shazam for TV, Danker will be responsible for app development for phones, tablets and other devices across all major platforms, as well as working with major social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+.