Execs & Accounts for October 11, 2006

Shelby Bonnie, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of CNET Networks, has stepped down amid an investigation by its board of directors into questionable back-dated stock option grants. He will retain a seat on the board of directors. He has been replaced with Neil Ashe as CNET’s new CEO and Jarl Mohn as non-executive chairman. CNET’s general counsel and SVP of human resources have also resigned.

Full-service interactive agency Schematic has been chosen by UK broadcaster ITV to redesign its broadband-heavy Web site and create a customized video player. ITV is the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster.

Ralph Rivera has been named VP and GM of AOL Latino. Rivera will lead programming and business strategy for the Spanish-language offerings, while maintaining his position as VP and GM of AOL Games. He replaces David Wellisch, who has left AOL for “new business ventures”.

Lowell Goss has been named SVP of user experience and product development at IFILM. Goss, who had been the head of user experience at Yahoo for the past three years, will help the MTV Networks division build its user-generated video offerings.

MTV Networks has chosen Tanya Van Court to head several of its online kids and family businesses. Van Court will take on the role of SVP of preschool and parents online with the Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. She will report to Steve Youngwood, EVP of digital media for the group. She replaces Kyra Reppen, who now serves as SVP and GM of the group’s Neopets business. Van Court most recently served as VP of new media video products at ESPN, where she led the launch of ESPN360, ESPN’s broadband video and online gaming player.

Braden Herman has been named SVP of digital advertising operations for Viacom’s MTV Networks division, and Kevin Arrix has been promoted to SVP of digital advertising sales. Herman previously served as VP of ad sales for Advertising.com, and Arrix has been VP of digital ad sales for MTVN’s Nickelodeon.

Paul Davies has been named managing director of Ad Pepper Media Australia. The international online ad network is opening an office in Sydney, Australia, this month. The move will help Ad Pepper expand into Southeast Asian markets, as well as service international clients around the clock. Davies’ agency sales duties in the UK will be taken over by Matt Wilkinson, formerly of 24/7 Real Media.

Mike Reaves has been named VP of engineering for online ad network AdBrite. Reaves will be responsible for advancing AdBrite’s technology products and platform. Reaves was most recently the CIO of the Zone Labs division of Check Point Software. Prior to Zone Labs, Reaves served as the VP of engineering at LookSmart

David Houston has been named CFO of online community marketing agency LiveWorld. He takes over for Peter Friedman, LiveWorld’s chairman and CEO, who has been the acting CFO since 2001.

Fair Indigo, an online retailer of “fair trade” clothing, has selected Bazaarvoice to power its customer ratings and reviews.