iWorld
Bitmovin names Ian Baglow as co-chief executive officer
Baglow to run daily operations as Stefan Lederer turns to strategy and technology
VIENNA: Video-streaming specialist Bitmovin has split the top job, elevating Ian Baglow to co-chief executive alongside co-founder Stefan Lederer in a leadership rejig aimed at accelerating growth and tightening customer and partner ties.
Under the new structure, Baglow will steer day-to-day operations and commercial execution, while Lederer will focus on long-range strategy, product direction and market development. The move formalises a division of labour already taking shape inside the company as it scales globally.
Baglow joined Bitmovin in 2021 as chief revenue officer, tasked with driving customer retention and new client wins. His remit widened in 2024 when he became president and chief revenue and operations officer, putting him at the centre of sales and operational strategy. Before Bitmovin, he held senior roles at BAE Systems and SilverSky, building a track record in scaling businesses, entering new markets and launching products.
“I’m honored to be appointed as co-chief executive, where I will of course continue to work closely with Stefan who I have great admiration and respect for,” says Baglow. “This shared leadership role will allow us to use our highly complementary skills and strengths to take Bitmovin to new levels, and I look forward to solidifying Bitmovin’s market position and contributing to its continued growth.”
Lederer casts the appointment as a natural next step in Bitmovin’s evolution. “Ian has played a key role in driving company growth in recent years, and I believe as co-chief executive, he will be integral to Bitmovin’s sustainable expansion and success,” he says. With Baglow handling operations and partnerships, Lederer plans to double down on “the next generation of our technology, as well as the strategic side of the business”.
Founded in Austria, Bitmovin has positioned itself as a core technology supplier to the streaming economy. It built what it describes as the world’s first commercial adaptive streaming player and launched a software-defined encoding service that runs across cloud platforms. Its cloud-native stack spans encoding, playback and analytics, with a pitch centred on scalability, device reach and ease of integration.
The group counts more than 400 customers worldwide, including DAZN, Fox, MBC Group, Astro, BBC and Warner Brothers Discovery. Headquartered in Denver and Klagenfurt, it also operates out of Vienna, London and Berlin.
As streaming matures into a fiercely competitive infrastructure business, Bitmovin’s dual-chief model signals a company intent on pairing technical ambition with commercial muscle. In a market where performance, scale and reliability decide winners, sharper leadership may prove as critical as sharper code.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
