{{Short description|South African businessman}} '''Ralph Simon''', [[FRSA]], is a business executive, first in the music industry, and now in the [[mobile entertainment]] industry.
==Early life== He was raised in [[Johannesburg, South Africa]] where he went to the [[University of the Witwatersrand]], and left South Africa in 1975 and settled in [[London]]. In 1990 he relocated to [[San Francisco, California]] and then in 1993 relocated to [[Los Angeles]] where he lived for over a decade.{{cn|date=February 2017}}
==Career== Simon co-founded the independent [[Zomba Label Group|Zomba]] Group of music companies (now a subsidiary of [[Sony Music Entertainment]]) with [[Clive Calder]] in the 1970s growing it over two decades to become the leading independent record label, music publishing company and producer management company of its era. Zomba's record label, Jive Records signed the American musical artists [[the Backstreet Boys]], [[NSYNC]], [[Britney Spears]] and [[Janet Jackson]].<ref name="billboard.com">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6561279/johnny-wright-weg-pop-nation-florida-compound|title=Johnny Wright, Timberlake Manager, Outlines His Plan for a Pop Factory|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref> In the mid-1990s, he was executive vice president of [[Capitol Records]] and [[Blue Note Records]] in Hollywood and started [[EMI Music]]'s global New Media division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/facebook-audio-can-this-last/303228|title=Facebook Audio: Can This Last?|work=[[Adweek]]|date=29 May 2007 |accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref> He started Yourmobile (later renamed [[Moviso]]), the first [[ring tone]] company in the Americas, Europe, UK, Australia and Africa, in 1997.<ref name="Ralph Simon" /> In 2001, Simon co-founded YourMobile Group with Anthony Stonefield, Hilton Rosenthal Shane Dewing and Cliff Brigden.<ref name="peterkafkaandbrettpulley">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/0319/138.html|title=Jive Talking|author=Peter Kafka and Brett Pulley|date=19 March 2001|work=[[Forbes]]|accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref>
Simon is the founder and chief executive of Mobilium Global Ltd (based in [[London]], England, Los Angeles, Mumbai, with associate offices in Helsinki, Finland.<ref name="Ralph Simon">{{cite web|url=http://mobilium.com/about-us/about-ralph-simon/|title=About Ralph Simon|work=[[Mobilium Global]]|accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref><ref name="billboard.com">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6561279/johnny-wright-weg-pop-nation-florida-compound|title=Johnny Wright, Timberlake Manager, Outlines His Plan for a Pop Factory|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Gaglani |first1=Shiv |url=http://www.medgadget.com/2013/07/qa-with-robert-mccray-ceo-and-co-founder-of-the-wireless-life-sciences-alliance.html|title=Q&A with Robert McCray, CEO and Co-Founder of the Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance|work=[[Medgadget]]|date=July 2013 |accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref> In 2013, he was appointed Global Ambassador for the [[CTIA – The Wireless Association]]. CTIA is the [[Washington, DC]]–based wireless [[trade association]] driving [[wireless device certification]], policy and all aspects of the wireless and mobile industry innovation and development.<ref name="milkeninstitute.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/conferences/global-conference/2014/speaker-detail/15610|title=Global Conference 2014 - Ralph Simon » Milken Institute|work=[[Milken Institute]]|accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref> He has also been a regular speaker and moderator in the United States and Canada, officiating since 2008 at the annual Canadian Music Week conferences and also the Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles, Musexpo in Los Angeles and Start Up in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2015/02/18/digital-entertainment-world-wraps-second-conference-with-socially-relevant-clinton-global-initiative-ibm-funded-company-winning-startup-competition|title=Digital Entertainment World 2015 Wrap Up Report - Digital Media Wire - connecting people & knowledge|work=Digital Media Wire|date=18 February 2015 |accessdate=30 June 2015}}</ref> He is on the board of [[Hungama Digital Media Entertainment]].<ref name="milkeninstitute.org"/>
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Zomba Group of Companies}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Ralph}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Businesspeople in the telecommunications industry]] [[Category:University of the Witwatersrand alumni]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Johannesburg]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts]]