Double Fusion names former Yahoo! exec as CEO

Today the in-game ad sector, a business model that is slowly gaining traction among game publishers and advertisers, picked up the pace. Double Fusion, an Israel-based creator of in-game ad technology, said it has hired former Yahoo! executive Geoff Graber as its new CEO.

Graber had overseen the strategy and business direction for Yahoo! Games, including content creation, business development, Web site production, marketing, and engineering.

While at Yahoo!, Graber was responsible for establishing partnerships with wireless carriers, handset OEMs, and content developers.

In a statement, Graber said. "The video gaming industry has grown dramatically over the past few years, and advertisers are looking to penetrate this fastest growing media platform."

Commenting on Double Fusion's role in exposing games to marketers as an effective and alternative vehicle for reaching consumers, Graber added, "The 'traditional' advertising model no longer effectively captures the 18-to-34-year-old male demographic. Marketers see this and are shifting portions of their ad budgets into 'non-traditional' platforms--including video gaming. With clearly superior technology and a truly international footprint, Double Fusion is best positioned to capitalize on the shift of ad dollars."

In addition, the company touted the completion of a $10 million funding round led by Accel Partners and JVP. Using that new war chest of capital will enable Double Fusion to relocate its headquarters from Jerusalem to the San Francisco Bay Area.

As part of the funding round, Harry Nelis and Bruce Golden of Accel, and Allon Bloch of JVP will join Double Fusion and sit on the company's Board of Directors.

"Geoff's experience in building large-scale international businesses, and the breadth of his connections across the video, PC, Internet, and mobile games markets, makes his appointment a very exciting step in the company's growth," said Elie Wurtman, Double Fusion chairman and CEO of JVP Studio, the incubation arm of JVP.

No specific date was given as to when the company would open its Bay Area HQ.