Google, LOLapps Execs Join Tapjoy Advisory Board Amidst Sale Rumors

Amidst reports that Tapjoy is seeking to sell itself to major social game companies, the social app and game monetization firm has formed an advisory board comprising executives from Google, LOLapps, and others. The members of the advisory board include veterans from the gaming, mobile, media, advertising, and technology industries, including Microsoft Games Studios' former vice president Shane Kim, who also sits on the board for GameStop and Zipline Games. Also in the advisory group: Google's Emerging Products head Bernardo Hernandez, LOLapps CEO Arjun Sethi, CBS Interactive's Peter Yared, UM's Global Strategy and Insights lead Jim Elms, Archimedes Capital's managing director Matt Ocko, and 3LM CEO Tom Moss. San Francisco-headquartered Tapjoy says the advisory board will offer counsel to the mobile ad network "on product development, strategic partnerships and overall corporate direction". The board's formation comes a week after reports emerged that Tapjoy is pursuing negotiations with Zynga, Electronic Arts, and Japanese mobile social game developers/network operators GREE and DeNA about possibly acquiring its operations. CEO Mihir Shah declined to comment on the rumor, but Tapjoy did hire Al Wood as its new chief financial officer in July -- the executive previously helped guide mergers and IPOs at Veraz Networks and PalmSource. It's unclear if the board will assist with the potential sale. "[The advisory board's] guidance will be invaluable as we work towards our goals of growing our consumer brand, developing new products and services for the developer and advertiser communities, and expanding our business internationally," says Shah.