Genie recruits former Virgin.net PR chief

Mobile internet firm Genie has appointed ex-Virgin.net PR manager

Kevin Caruth as global PR manager, in a newly-created role aimed at

positioning the firm as a key player in the sector.

Reporting to global head of communications Leslie Nakajima and UK

managing director Laurence Alexander, Caruth will work with one PR

executive, overseeing the work of retained agency Edelman PR

Worldwide.

Caruth will focus on the firm's consumer PR in the UK, while

co-ordinating international activity across Europe and Asia jointly with

Nakajima.

Edelman is retained to work on corporate and consumer work throughout

the UK, and corporate work globally.

Caruth described the work as 'very exciting', particularly while the

firm is in the throes of a demerger from BT Wireless. Announced in May,

the project should conclude this autumn.

'It will be my responsibility to identify different types of users who

have embraced mobile internet services and encourage other segments of

the consumer market to get into it,' he said.

Caruth, whose role at Virgin.net was the firm's most senior PR position,

was one of 45 staff made redundant by the ISP in February, along with PR

assistant Amanda Dwyer, who has since joined rival Freeserve.

As a result of the internal reorganisation, Virgin.net outsourced its

consumer portfolio, which was handed to Firefly in April, retaining PRO

Karin Jones to oversee the agency.

Prior to his spell with Virgin.net, Caruth worked on an account with

Levi's while with Shilland & Co, and with Disney while undertaking

agency work with Foresight Europe.

Genie currently operates as BT Wireless' mobile internet portal,

provides WAP check-in services to British Airways, and works with

partner firms such as E4, MTV, Emap and Ladbrokes.