As part of a global push for its instant messaging service, MSN has appointed its regional sales director, Chris Dobson, to the newly-created role of general manager, digital marketing sales and trade marketing, MSN International.
Following the closure of its chat rooms on the grounds they attracted paedophiles, MSN is hoping that the fact Messenger is slightly safer and does not need policing will make it more attractive to advertisers.
Dobson will have specific responsibility for pushing media opportunities on Hotmail and MSN Messenger.
He said: "Instant messaging is a real communications phenomenon and MSN is at the forefront."
MSN Messenger is used by about 100 million people globally and, according to Jupiter Research, has a strong youth bias.
The latest incarnation of MSN Messenger allows users to create their own icons, and backgrounds and integrates more heavily with MSN's site services. MSN is offering these backgrounds as advertising platforms, especially for branded environments.
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