After several months actively serving in the role, we’re proud to officially announce Timothy Shey as Chair of the board. Shey, a renowned figure in the creator economy, brings over two decades of experience in digital media, having played pivotal roles as an executive at YouTube and Duolingo and as a co-founder of Next New Networks.

‍

As one of the founding executives of YouTube Originals and director of YouTube Next Lab, Shey was instrumental in developing YouTube's creator ecosystem. He was one of the key executives who launched the YouTube Creator program and established YouTube Spaces in major global cities. Notably, Shey and his colleagues popularised the term "creator" and pioneered programs that helped establish the creator economy, now valued at over $250 billion worldwide.

‍

Most recently, Shey was VP of original content at Duolingo, where he served on the leadership team since 2018 developing the company's iconic characters and storytelling, and AI-powered learning features and content. During his tenure, Duolingo grew to become a publicly traded company and one of the most popular brands on social media, with over 80 million monthly active app users worldwide.

‍

"Electrify Video Partners represents the next evolution of the creator economy," said Shey. "Their innovative model of investing in and scaling creator businesses, combined with their focus on informative and inspirational content, positions them perfectly to build the media company of the future. I'm excited to work with the team to help creators transform their wildly successful channels into lasting global brands."

‍

Electrify Video Partners has already invested in 10 established creator businesses totalling more than 40 million subscribers and over 10 billion lifetime views. Key brands include Veritasium, Astrum, Mentour Pilot, Fireship and fern.

‍

"Tim's appointment as chair marks a significant milestone in Electrify's journey," said Owen Maher, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Electrify Video Partners. "His unparalleled experience in scaling creator businesses and digital brands and deep understanding of the media landscape will be invaluable as we expand our portfolio and build a globally leading digital video business."

‍

In his role as Chair, Shey will work closely with the Co-CEOs and board to set strategic objectives, maximise commercial opportunities for Electrify and its house of brands, and help scale the company's product and platform innovation for creator partnerships. His appointment comes at a crucial time as Electrify continues to execute its ambitious growth strategy in the rapidly evolving creator economy.

‍

Shey succeeds co-founder Justin Reizes, who has served as chair since the company's inception in 2021. Reizes will continue to play a key role in the company's growth strategy while focusing on his position as a director. "Justin's dedicated leadership as chair has been instrumental in establishing Electrify's strong foundation and early success," said Ian Shepherd, Co-founder and Co-CEO.