• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, April 21, 2009

Paris-based video-sharing hub Dailymotion on Tuesday confirmed reports that its existing CEO Mark Zaleski is being replaced by Red Bee Media commercial director Ian Brotherston.

"Ian's primary focus will be to lead Dailymotion in its next phase of development," including the company's continued U.S. expansion, according to Benoist Grossmann, partner at AGF Private Equity.

In late 2007, Dailymotion raised $34 million from AGF Private Equity (a division of Allianz AG) and Advent Venture Partners LLP to finance its hasty U.S. invasion.

Last week, French newspaper Le Journal du Net reported that Dailymotion was seeking an additional investment to counter a depressed global online advertising market. However, Dailymotion representatives on Tuesday did not return press inquiries on the matter.

Dailymotion's Board of Directors said Tuesday that Zaleski had resigned from his position as CEO "to pursue other opportunities and spend more time on his other investments."

"Mark has driven the many phases of our development, including taking the lead in the industry in anti-piracy protection," said Philippe Collombel, partner at Partech International -- one of Dailymotion's original investors.

As commercial director at Red Bee Media, the privatized Broadcast Technology Division of the BBC, Brotherston was responsible for strategy, international expansion, new media, sales and marketing, and business growth.

Prior to that, Brotherston held senior international leadership roles within AT&T and British Telecom, where he managed businesses in Europe, Asia and the U.S.