MAM
AdColony to be acquired by Opera Software to strengthen mobile advertising
NEW DELHI: Norwegian mobile phone software firm Opera Software ASA is to buy US -based mobile video advertising platform AdColony.
The aim is to deliver mobile video advertising to publishers and advertisers with a combined reach of more than 700 million global consumers.
“Opera is growing rapidly and we are constantly looking for opportunities to bring best-of-breed services to the market. AdColony is a natural fit for Opera and our mobile advertising subsidiary, Opera Mediaworks. This acquisition will augment our services with a robust specialisation around mobile video – the fastest growing segment within the mobile advertising industry,” according to Opera Software CEO lars Boilesen.
AdColony’s skills are largely in delivering innovative, clear video ads instantly in HD across iOS and Android smartphone and tablet apps in the world. AdColony’s customers include Fortune 500 brands, performance advertisers and more than 70 per cent of the world’s top grossing app publishers, according to Digital Market Asia.
“AdColony’s team, technology and execution will elevate Opera Mediaworks’ already strong position in the mobile advertising industry. The combination will deliver an even better results-oriented, end-to-end offering for brands, agencies and publishers globally,” said Opera Mediaworks CEO Mahi de Silva said.
AdColony will continue to support its existing customers as usual following the acquisition. Will Kassoy will continue to lead AdColony as CEO, and he will additionally take on the role of chief marketing officer of Opera Mediaworks.
“Opera Mediaworks shares our vision to enhance the mobile ecosystem and deliver the highest quality mobile video experience in the world. Our keen focus on the consumer experience in mobile apps combined with the massive growth of mobile video consumption worldwide, has catapulted our growth and made us a go-to partner for app developers and advertisers. We are excited to now be part of Opera Mediaworks’ renowned global organisation and look forward to unlocking tremendous synergies together,” said Kassoy.
The addition of AdColony will make Opera Mediaworks the most comprehensive suite of brand and performance-based mobile ad solutions, delivering creative, targeting, analytics, measurement, programmatic buying, and video and rich-media offerings. The combination should offer the world’s largest mobile-focused ad server along with a larger scope of managed, self-service and programmatic tools creating powerful ways to monetise their inventory effectively.
Mobile video advertising is the fastest-growing advertising segment in all of digital advertising. Mobile advertising spend is expected to grow to $ 41.9 billion by 2017, with mobile video advertising showing the highest growth rate, according to Gartner.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
