5 minutes with… TIMWE

In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week Co-Founder and Managing Partner Ricardo Carvalho introduces TIMWE

What does TIMWE do?

TIMWE is a global provider of mobile monetization solutions, focused on mobile marketing, mobile entertainment and mobile money (mobile payments). We operate in over 75 markets from five continents, managed through our 26 offices, where we develop mobile monetisation projects for carriers, brands, governments and governmental entities, NGOs, media groups and the end-users.

When did TIMWE launch and what growth have you seen?

TIMWE was launched in 2002 and has seen many years of consecutive double digit organic growth in its revenues, as well as an exponential growth in the number of employees and offices. Nowadays, TIMWE has over 400 employees within its 26 offices around the world.  

What are your main goals?

We, at TIMWE, work hard to maintain the standards that make us a global leader in the mobile monetization arena; therefore, our main goal is to continue our growth path, by further developing our core and new markets, producing more exciting and innovative projects that bring added value to our clients and, of course, making sure that we are always up to date with the mobile world’s trends (many times by participating in MEF’s activities and reading MEF Minute. :))

Where do you see TIMWE in three years’ time?

In three years, we still see TIMWE at the forefront of the mobile ecosystem, staying ahead of the game by maintaining the focus on geographical and product expansion and innovation, which has brought TIMWE success over the years.

What aspect of mobile is most exciting to you right now?

For me, mobile is exciting by itself, because it never stops changing, it’s such a volatile industry. Truth is, you can’t really make an accurate prediction of what’s going to be “happening” in the mobile space, because what’s on the top trends right now might be forgotten tomorrow. But, then again, this is what keeps us going, by always being ready to come up with newer and more out-of-the-box adapted solutions, a step ahead of our clients’ needs and consumers likes and dislikes. As it has been proven by many studies, mobile is and will continue to be a crucial channel, whether it is for the carriers, brands, governments, media groups or the end users themselves and that provides us, players in this industry, with endless options to be creative and innovative in finding solutions for each segment. I personally find that world of possibilities incredibly exciting!

 What’s the most critical issue that will hit mobile within the next 12 months?

As it has been proven by many studies, mobile is and will continue to be a crucial channel, whether it is for the carriers, brands, governments, media groups or the end users themselves and that provides us, players in this industry, with endless options to be creative and innovative in finding solutions for each segment.

We believe that the most critical issues in the mobile industry in the next year will be: Security and Privacy within mobile operations and the Carriers’ Revenue issue. Mobile operations’ security and consumers’ privacy is growing as a concern among the industry and there is a need to present solutions that cover those issues, whether it is family protection, mobile payments protection or the big data protection. Also, as a result of the carriers losing revenues due to OTTs and app stores increased volume, there is the added need of enhancing their loyalty-increase solutions, together with cost reduction needs. We believe that in order to help bridge these issues, carriers will require solutions from companies such as TIMWE; and that’s why we’re already adding specific products to our portfolio, to tackle that.

Apart from your own, which mobile companies are the ones to watch in the year ahead?

Other than name companies to look for, we are looking forward to see the predicted mobile trends either take centre stage or not happen at all and understand how the entire mobile ecosystem responds to them. Also, we aim to see traditional companies betting on mobile more and more and developing successful campaigns that will earn them new and more loyal consumers. We wish to see the Mobile Monetisation Solutions in Mobile Marketing, Mobile Entertainment and Mobile Money grow even more in marketing strategies around the world.

Ricardo Carvalho is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of TIMWE – Visit their Website Ricardo is one of several candidates standing for the MEF Global Board Elections next week – find out more.