Time Warner Cable has named Matthew Zelesko -- briefly CEO of Internet TV startup Joost and formerly head of engineering at Comcast Interactive Media -- senior vice president of Web services and technology.
Zelesko will be responsible for leading the MSO's Web services group and developing strategy for all Web systems, including the TWCable TV technologies for extending cable services to connected devices. Among those projects is the controversial iPad app that raised the hackles of Viacom and other programmers.
He reports to Mike Hayashi, TWC's executive vice president of architecture, development and engineering. Zelesko's group will manage the development of services to support Time Warner Cable's residential, commercial and marketing Web portals, cross-platform utilities and the TWCable TV product line.
Zelesko takes over for Jason Gaedtke, most recently Time Warner Cable's group vice president of Web development, who left to join Google's YouTube as director of technical solutions this spring.
Both Zelesko and Gaedtke worked for Joost, the ill-fated online video startup formed by the inventors of Skype. Time Warner Cable had been rumored to be in talks to acquire Joost, while Comcast reportedly passed on the startup's overtures to sell itself. Joost's assets were acquired by Internet advertising firm Adconian in late 2009.
Prior to Joost, Zelesko was vice president of engineering for Comcast Interactive Media, in charge of the development and delivery of all CIM web properties, including the Comcast portal and Fancast.
"As Time Warner Cable embraces more and more new platforms such as tablets and smart TVs, our customers can enjoy a more dynamic experience with our services and we are able to respond more quickly to customer feedback to better improve the customer interface," Hayashi said in a statement. "Matt will be a real asset to the company as we continue developing services."
