Ello, the ad-free social network, today announced the hire of former MAMIVERSE CEO, to spearhead all company marketing efforts as CMO. Named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Latinos by Hispanic Magazine among other honors, Alegria’s life mission has been to transform the way diversity is leveraged in business, technology, and the media, aligning with Ello’s manifesto to change the way a social network functions to promote creativity, innovative data transparency, and a personal sense of purpose.
“Rene’s vision for the company aligns brilliantly with the core values upon which we founded Ello – plus he’s an amazing person,” saidPaul Budnitz, co-founder and CEO of Ello. “Rene is a brilliant trailblazer who joins Ello during a time of rapid growth, as we near the final stages of our beta program. As CMO, he will guide our efforts to promote what Ello is and what we stand for.”
Prior to Ello, Rene founded and served as CEO for MAMIVERSE.com, a digital community devoted to entertaining, informing and empowering Hispanics across the U.S.A. Alegria will remain Executive Chairman of the board for MAMIVERSE.
“It’s no secret that Silicon Valley has long ignored what real America looks like, and in the process has glossed over countless opportunities,” says Ello’s Chief Marketing Officer, Rene Alegria. “From the LGBTQ community and African-Americans, to women in tech and Latinos, Ello is building a social network that challenges the status quo. I could not be more excited to help lead Ello’s mission to elevate how people connect with one another, without clutter and fear of personal data mining. There is a better way to do things, and we’re building it.”
This appointment comes on the heels of Ello’s declaration as a Public Benefit Corporation, which makes it legally impossible under US law for investors to require Ello to ever show ads, sell user data, or sell the company to any buyer who would violate any of the listed conditions.
Ello launched a limited beta program on August 7, 2014 and will forever remain ad-free. The social network allows people to use real or anonymous identities while, at the same time, protecting users by requiring them to follow commonsense rules of conduct.