ninemsn, ecorp Gain Monster Partnership

Australian Internet business
ecorp and its portal site ninemsn have each announced joint
venture partnerships with global recruitment network Monster.com to expand its career sites
in Australian and Asian markets.

ecorp and Monster will partner to build the career site in the Asian
market, focusing on Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and
the Philippines.

The venture will be 65 percent owned by Monster and 35 percent owned
by ecorp, and will actively pursue business opportunities on the back of
each partner’s current strengths in Asia.

Monster, the flagship network of recruitment agency TMP Worldwide, launched in Asia last
October with a Singaporean site Monster.com.sg.

“Our partnership is consistent with our strategy of forming alliances
with leading players in their respective sectors, as well as our
longer-term strategy to build our presence throughout Asia,” said ecorp
CEO Daniel Petre.

ecorp has already partnered with Microsoft to create ninemsn, with US
auction site eBay to form eBay Australia, and with Charles
Schwab Corporation to provide financial services in Australia.

While the ecorp deal will directly help Monster move into Asia,
ninemsn’s partnership will make Monster.com its exclusive job search and
career content provider.

“This relationship will bring Monster to Australia’s largest Web
audience and add tremendous momentum to our existing Australian
efforts,” said Monster CEO Jeff Taylor. Monster launched its Australian and New Zealand sites last June.

ninemsn will gain instant access to Monster’s global database of
300,000 job opportunities, career content pages and the recruitment
site’s resume building facility.

Monster will also offer ninemsn users exclusive access features such
as job fairs and live chats with career consultants.

ninemsn and Monster will extend the career site’s Australian and NZ
efforts with an equally owned, co-branded site, planned for launch in
the next few months.

The site will allow members and visitors to ninemsn properties to
search for jobs, apply online, and personalise the site. Organisations
will also be able to post jobs to this co-branded site.