In a move that reflects the growing importance and usefulness of the Digital Object Identifier to corporate publishing, Content Directions, a firm that manages the commercial applications of the DOI, has selected Hugh Brownstone, a former executive in IT management, to be its new chief executive officer. Brownstone will take over the CEO position from CD founder and former CEO David Sidman, who will take on the role of chief operating officer.
Brownstone called the DOI "a very big idea. CD's clients have seen measurable improvements in search engine rankings, traffic, sales and cost-avoidance. I'm looking forward to working to bring the business benefits of this technology to a broad audience." Brownstone is also an investor in Content Directions and a member of its board. He was previously v-p, new business development, for IMS Health Europe and has held senior positions at Barclays Bank and American Management Systems.
The Digital Object Identifier is a digital identification system that can permanently identify specific digital information and track its exchange.
Sidman, who founded the company in 2001, emphasized that while Brownstone brings managerial experience to CD's executive team, he will continue to run the company on a daily basis. "I'll still be directing product development, customer implementation and working with Hugh on important sales calls," Sidman said.
Sidman noted, "We've brought the company to a point where we are getting blue-chip publishing clients. We're looking to scale up and we need an experienced CEO." Brownstone, said Sidman, "brings the ability to sell very large deals. We have a track record now, and publishers are looking to do deals of a magnitude we've never seen before." While Sidman declined to name the specific publishers ("we've just received verbal commitments"), he said Brownstone is responsible for two deals that will result in more than 1.5 million DOIs combined.
"These deals represent a quantum leap in magnitude and acceptance of the DOI," Sidman added. "Publishers are going beyond just putting their toes in the water."
