• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 25, 2008

Cyriac Roeding, who started CBS' mobile division in 2005, is exiting the company and being replaced by top deputy Jeff Sellinger.

In an interview Monday, Roeding said he was leaving the network to pursue an entrepreneurial path after helping build a solid foundation for CBS Mobile. "The baby is starting to walk and doing pretty well," he said. "It's been an exhilarating experience for the last three years and my mission is now complete."

Roeding, who hasn't yet fixed on his next venture, reeled off key achievements during his tenure, including CBS Mobile generating 75 million page views a day during the fourth quarter of 2007. He also mentioned CBS Sports becoming a top 10 mobile site among business users.

On the advertising side, there were the deals he signed on behalf of mobile ad networks AdMob, Millennial Media and Rhythm New Media last year. CBS was also among the first big media companies to sign a deal with white-label mobile search provider Medio.

And in February, CBS partnered with social networking service Loopt to begin offering mobile advertising targeted based on a user's location. Loopt's network runs on Sprint and Boost Mobile phones.

Under Roeding, the mobile division also launched the CBS Mobile Zone, aimed at providing free Wi-FI Internet access in midtown Manhattan. While he wouldn't disclose how large the network's mobile unit had grown, Roeding said it was already profitable. "I'm very grateful for the opportunity at CBS," he said.

Roeding added that he plans to remain based in the U.S., whatever his next project turns out to be.

CBS called Sellinger, the new vice president and general manager of CBS Mobile, a key figure in the division's growth under Roeding.

"There isn't a part of CBS Mobile's operation that Jeff hasn't had a hand in over the last three years," said Quincy Smith, president of CBS Interactive, in a prepared statement Monday announcing Sellinger's promotion.