Rhys McLachlan is Director of Advanced Advertising at ITV. Appointed to the role in March this year, he has responsibility for delivering the broadcaster’s advanced advertising capabilities, such as its programmatic TV platform Planet V. He was previously SVP of global broadcaster strategy at Amobee and before this was Head of Futures at MediaCom UK.
Who is your digital hero?
Jana Eisenstien. If you know, you know.
What has she done to win hero status in your eyes?
Jana has operated largely discreetly for nearly two decades, out of public scrutiny she’s been an unheralded entrepreneur and leading advocate for progression, from the earliest market-leading propositions for mobile through to the UK’s largest VOD DSP and more latterly in senior roles at Broadcasters and cutting-edge technology start-ups.
There are few operators as well experienced, and with such a powerful resumé, as Jana, and the fact that she’s achieved this without taking centre stage is a testament to her lack of ego and an example of her unfussed ‘get on with it’ attitude.
How has their heroism helped drive digital?
Jana operates unencumbered by glass ceilings or restricted by boys-club politics, she established her place at the most senior board tables through talent and capability.
As such, in leading by example, an illustrious roll call of market leading female experts have developed under Jana’s tutelage and have gone on to achieve significant positions across many aspects of the EMEA digital and adtech universe.
What the biggest challenges in digital we need another hero to solve?
Diversity.
Despite the so-called digital democratisation of access to talent and Jana’s investment in the development, and promotion, of female talent, there remains a significant imbalance in gender, ethnicity, social background across adtech.
This is further amplified at the most senior positions. More can always be done to ensure that representatively diverse voices are both present and heard across all levels of the adtech ecosystem.
What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
Getting this far.
