Friendster gets new chief executive

Social networking site Friendster, which is the most popular of its type in Asia, has announced that Richard Kimber will be its new chief executive officer and a member of its board of directors.

The site, which claims to be the third largest social network in the world with 75 million users, also announced that it has closed $20m in funding.

Until recently, Kimber was the regional managing director of South Asia at Google, where he successfully led business operations and strategic partnerships across the region.

"Friendster is growing at an enormous rate in Asia Pacific and is clearly leading the competition. I believe this is partly because the internet is transforming the lives of everyone and it will probably become one of the greatest liberators of our time," said Kimber.

"Utilising the internet to connect to your friends is one of its greatest benefits and is changing the way relationships work globally. With more than 75 million users, it is clear that Friendster has already made a dramatic impact. I look forward to growing our business further as we continue our global growth and strong focus on Asia."

Friendster raised $20m by new investor IDG Ventures, a global network of venture capital funds. The new funding will enable Friendster to extend its leadership position in the Asia Pacific region and continue to grow and monetise its global user base, the company said.