Flycast Names Former Nielsen President as New CEO

San Francisco-based Flycast Communications Corp. named a former CEO-North America for both Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and the A.C. Nielsen Co. as its new president and chief executive officer.

George R. Garrick brings to Flycast extensive experience in managing technology companies in the marketing and advertising services industries. Flycast said Garrick, 45, joined the company effective May 21.

Garrick said in a statement: “Flycast’s powerful ad serving network allows any Web site or advertiser, no matter what size, to exploit the advertising and direct-marketing capabilities of the Internet. Flycast started out as a technology company, and its conservative marketing efforts have made it the industry’s best-kept secret. But it has shot out to quickly become the Internet’s second largest ad network reaching almost one-third of all Internet users. It’s time for us to rapidly add the media and marketing executives who will turn our technical assets into dominant market share for Internet advertising and direct response marketing. Flycast clearly has the potential to become the leader in this space.”

Garrick succeeds president/CEO Miles Walsh, who shepherded Flycast through its product launch, early growth and first round of venture capital. Flycast has received venture capital funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, Charles River Ventures and St. Paul Venture Capital. Walsh will remain with the company for a 30-day transition period as vice president, business planning.