SmartNews Announces Key Leadership Changes

SmartNews Co-founder Kaisei Hamamoto Appointed CEO; Cory Ondrejka, Tech Industry Veteran Responsible for Meta’s Mobile Transformation, Appointed CTO; and Ken Suzuki, Former SmartNews CEO, Continues Role as Executive Chair of the Board

SAN FRANCISCO (October 30, 2023)—SmartNews, a global leader in news discovery, today announced significant changes in its executive leadership team. These changes reflect the company’s continued commitment to innovation and growth in the dynamic world of digital news distribution.

Effective November 1, 2023, Kaisei Hamamoto, co-founder of SmartNews, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In his new role, Hamamoto will provide strategic direction, oversee operations, and lead the company’s continued expansion in a fast-paced media landscape. Hamamoto’s wealth of experience as co-founder of SmartNews will help securely position SmartNews for future growth and innovation.

Outgoing CEO Ken Suzuki, who has led the company to its current position as a global news discovery leader, will continue in his role as Executive Chair of the Board. Suzuki will provide valuable guidance and support to the executive team and the company’s broader strategic direction.

Cory Ondrejka, assuming the role of SmartNews’ new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), has a long history of creating groundbreaking and innovative products, including co-creating the pioneering virtual world “Second Life”, leading Meta’s mobile transformation and subsequent product growth, and reinventing the Android experience with Material You at Google. As CTO, Ondrejka will be responsible for driving SmartNews’ technology and user experience, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the digital news discovery vertical.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kaisei Hamamoto and Cory Ondrejka to their new roles on our executive team,” said Suzuki. “Their leadership will be pivotal in steering SmartNews through its next phase of growth and innovation.

“SmartNews has achieved remarkable success under Ken Suzuki’s leadership, and we are confident in Kaisei’s ability to build upon this foundation,” said Ondrejka. “I’m excited to work alongside our talented team as we drive innovation and continue to improve the way people discover and engage with news.”

About SmartNews
Founded in 2012, SmartNews is a leading global information and news discovery company, dedicated to delivering quality information to the people who need it. SmartNews provides news that matters to millions of users thanks to its unique machine learning technology and relationships with more than 3,000 global publisher partners.

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David Pedersen
Head of International Communications
David.Pedersen@smartnews.com