Friendster's RP office to help expansion in Asia

MANILA, Philippines - Friendster, a social networking Web site which reportedly attracts 16 billion page views a month, plans to make the Philippines its global marketing hub as part of its expansion in Asia. The decision is “a big milestone in our development as a company," Richard Kimber, CEO of the popular social networking website told GMANews.TV. Kimber and other Friendster executives were in Manila to incorporate the company’s local unit Friendster Philippines, Inc. last May 11. Friendster executives also held their board meeting in Manila, Kimber said. The Philippine unit will be moving in to its new offices along Ayala Ave. in Makati, Kimber said, adding that the company intends to hire additional people to supplement the 61 employees they already have. Friendster has a bigger user base in Asia and the Philippines than in the US. Given this unique situation, the company plans to make the country a global marketing hub. Kimber pointed out that their VP for the Philippines, Ben Dunn, is also head of their global brand experience. Local content will be harmonized with Friendster's strength as a global platform. "We want to make our content more relevant and fun," Kimber said, adding that the company is currently considering music and television as part of its main content areas. Moreover, Friendster’s Philippine unit will also partner with local game developers. "We believe there's a big future in this area," he said. Friendster is popularly used for photo uploads and social shout outs, according to Kimber. Besides the Philippines, Friendster is also popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Friendster competes with, among others, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter for in the field of online social networking. The company claims it is the largest social networking site in Asia with about 62 million registered users. - GMANews.TV