One of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, with a strong presence in Latin America and Spain, created a new mobile advertising exchange platform where advertisers and publishers can buy and sell ad space.

Telefónica became the first telecommunications company to power the mobile ad exchange platform known as Axonix. The new programmatic advertising company, based in London, was also created with the help of affiliates from GSO Capital Partners, a division of Blackstone. Although created by Telefónica and GSO Capital Partners' affiliates, Axonix will run independently with Telefónica's Global Advertising Sales Director -- Simon Birkenhead -- vacating his position to chief executive of the new advertising company.

"Axonix is created specifically for the mobile advertising industry, using technology with a four year heritage in leading this market to offer a central destination for operator-enriched advertising inventory," said Telefónica's CEO of Digital Service and Innovation Stephen Shurrock. "We're proud to be the first telecoms company in the world to own and power a mobile ad exchange platform, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to putting digital services front and centre as we transform into a digital [telecommunication]."

The technology with four-year heritage referenced by Shurrock comes from MobClix, which was acquired by Telefónica and Blackstone's GSO Capital Partners.

"Through the acquisition of the MobClix technology, in partnership with Blackstone's GSO, as well as our unique data sets as a mobile operator, we expect to become one of the leading global technology platforms in the mobile programmatic advertising industry," added Shurrock.

According to Shurrock, the "immediate priority" with the new mobile ad exchange platform is to "scale the business quickly" by enticing the industry's best talent. A goal for Axonix is to partner with leading agencies, brands, and publishers in order to make them impactful and relevant in mobile advertising worldwide.

With over 100 demand partners already integrated with Axonix, the new advertising exchange platform will initially start as a self-service to advertisers and publishers worldwide but with a specific focus on Europe and the United States. A region that will also receive special focus from Axonix is Latin America due to Telefónica's existing presence.

"At GSO, we recognize the need for an innovative entrant into the mobile advertising exchange market to address the increasingly global and data driven requirements for advertisers and publishers," said GSO Capital Partners Managing Director Scott Eisenberg. "We are looking forward to partnering with Telefónica on this exciting opportunity."

According to ZenithOptimedia, 2013 mobile advertising spending reached $13.4 billion, which equated to approximately 13 percent of all Internet ad spending and 2.7 percent of overall ad spending worldwide. By 2016, projections have mobile ad spending rise to $45 billion, which might represent 28 percent of Internet ad spending and 7.6 percent of all ad investments.

"Advertisers are gaining in confidence as the world economy returns to stable growth. They will find plenty of opportunities to generate strong returns on their advertising investment in the fast-growing digital media, but should remember that television has lost none of its power to reach large and engaged audiences," said ZenithOptimedia's Worldwide CEO Steve King.

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