Ezechiel Ritchie has confirmed his departure from Jellysmack.
This comes after Jellysmack denied claims it had shut its operations in Australia and New Zealand, last week.
On Monday, Ritchie took to LinkedIn to confirm that he was let go from the global creator company a few weeks ago.
“A decision that came as a bit of a shock after such a great adventure at Jellysmack,” he began.
“In hindsight, it has been a great opportunity to reset and spend time with my family, wife, daughter and 4 months newborn, something that I have never really done since starting my professional career almost 15 years ago.
“I was fortunate to work with so many talented people and partners across the world and Asia Pacific. I wanted to thank my managers Laurent Hulin and Youri Hazanov for their constant support and my counterparts Harry LEVY and Bruno Belardo for creating such a great trio.
“To my APAC team, it has been a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to see what’s next for everyone,” he said.
Ritchie ended his message on an optimistic note, he concluded: “There is a reason for everything and I can’t wait to find out the “why”!
Last week, Jellysmack denied claims it was shuttering operations in Australia and New Zealand following speculation the company let go of its team Down Under.
See also: Exclusive: Jellysmack denies claims its shuttering operations in Australia and NZ
Sources told Mediaweek at the time that the global creator company began plans to exit the Australian and New Zealand market as early as January.
Jellysmack’s AUNZ team, including APAC general manager Ezechiel Ritchie, were allegedly made redundant with no reason or explanation in late February, the sources added.
In a statement, a Jellysmack spokesperson denied the claims they have shut operations and told Mediaweek in a statement: “The information you received is inaccurate. We maintain a presence in the region and continue to support a roster of top creators across Australia and New Zealand.
“Both countries remain a priority for Jellysmack and we look forward to continuing to provide AUNZ video creators with the best amplification tools and technology.”
In September, Ritchie’s role in the global creator company was expanded to general manager, APAC, amid growth in the region.
Ritchie joined Jellysmack last year as ANZ and SEA country manager, and previously held executive roles at Google and Taboola, and was at the helm when Jellysmack launched its Creator Program in Australia last October.
Ritchie has previously spoken to Mediaweek about the value of Jellysmack to content creators in Australia and New Zealand and the company’s plans for growth.
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Top image: Ezechiel Ritchie