Global design agency Saffron Brand Consultants has appointed Charlotte Black to the newly created role of Executive Director of Strategy. Black will lead Saffron’s world class brand strategy team and help drive the overall growth of the business. Reporting to CEO Jacob Benbunan, and working closely with Strategy Directors Paloma Castiñeira, Chelito Rubio and Mark Schumacher, Black joins the leadership team from her previous position as Head of US at People Made. Black has a background in both consultancy and in-house brand and marketing roles. Previously working at Saffron Brand Consultants for almost four years, Black handled key clients including Meta, The Crown Estate, Xplor and Sonae. Her experience in leadership positions with clients such as Sony Music Group, Jaguar Land Rover, AstraZeneca and Loewe has seen her help some of the world’s most influential organisations build businesses, brands and experiences to be proud of.
EXTE, one of the world’s fastest-growing adtech businesses, announces the appointment of James Hill as the company’s new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). In this pivotal role, Hill will spearhead EXTE’s commercial endeavours, driving growth and innovation across key markets. Hill brings over two decades of invaluable experience in the advertising industry. As CCO, he is tasked with leading all European operations outside Iberia, and overseeing country managers to ensure operational excellence throughout the region. Hill will head-up pan-European and European negotiations with agencies and clients, nurturing robust partnerships and driving revenue growth. His remit extends beyond Europe, encompassing strategic negotiations across the Americas, MEA, and expansion into new markets. Additionally, Hill will closely supervise the business’ growth objectives in the UK market, orchestrating strategies to optimise market penetration.
Performance marketing agency 26PMX has announced the appointment of Amy Naughton as Managing Partner, to head up the client service and strategy divisions. Naughton joins to provide her years of expertise in client services and strategic planning to 26PMX’s diverse global client base. Her track record of driving success for clients, coupled with her deep understanding of data, media, creative and technology makes her an ideal fit to contribute to the overall strategic direction of the business. She brings a wealth of experience to 26PMX, having previously founded Four Sharp Consulting, in addition to formerly being Director of Client Services and Managing Partner at Jaywing. Naughton has worked with a plethora of global names including Pepsico, Walkers, Nestle and Carlsberg as well as notable finance, retail, and tech brands such as ADT, Hallmark and First Direct.
Motorway, the used car marketplace, has announced the appointment of Naomi Walkland as Chief Marketing Officer, joining the company on May 20th. Walkland joins from Bumble, where she was the Vice President of Marketing, responsible for leading the international marketing team, driving new customer and revenue growth outside of the US. She was part of the team which took Bumble public in 2021 and built and scaled the marketing team and operations across EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and APAC (Asia Pacific). Walkland brings the perfect blend of experience, having expanded Bumble’s brand presence into over 15 markets worldwide and having led some of Bumble’s most impactful global campaigns, including My Love is Black Love, a celebration and representation of Black Love in Britain. As Motorway continues to grow market share at a rapid pace, Walkland will help accelerate Motorway to the next stage of growth.
Node4, a cloud-led digital transformation Managed Services Provider (MSP), has announced a new leadership structure under which Hannah Birch will assume the role of Group Managing Director. The move follows the successful integration of several businesses acquired by Node4 over the past three years, with the company now offering a comprehensive suite of integrated IT solutions and services under a single corporate brand. Node4 Founder, Andrew Gilbert, continues in his role as CEO and Paul Bryce becomes the company’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO).
Stafford-based digital marketing agency, Stone Junction has appointed Stephanie Wood as its new Head of Digital in an expansion of its digital marketing services. The agency created the new position as the demand for dedicated digital marketing campaigns has increased rapidly in recent years, and to ensure the production of high-quality content for clients across the STEM industry. Wood started at Stone Junction five years ago as an account executive and, during her time with the agency, has helped develop its digital marketing services. This included overseeing the agency’s own digital rebranding in the first quarter of 2024.
Crowe PR, an integrated public relations agency, has announced the addition of three team members: Jamie Avalon, Veronica Correa and Alana Pulver. These recent hires further strengthen the agency’s consumer packaged goods (CPG) department, on the heels of the company’s recent acquisition of Eckis Marketing. Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Jamie Avalon joins the team as a Senior Media Manager, responsible for spearheading strategic media outreach. Avalon brings her five years of dynamic public relations experience to Crowe, having worked on integrated campaigns for renowned food and beverage brands, such as Dunkin’, Caribou Coffee, Little Caesars and more. Veronica Correa assumes the position of Social Media Manager, bringing over a decade of experience and expertise in the spirits and hospitality industries to the agency. Based in San Diego, Correa is focused on developing engaging social content and driving digital brand growth through the creation of compelling social media strategies. Expanding Crowe’s Florida presence further, Delray Beach-based Alana Pulver joins the team as an Influencer Manager, bringing five years of tactical influencer marketing and social media expertise to the firm. Pulver’s extensive background spans influential campaigns for powerhouse brands like KAY Jewelers, Coca-Cola, MARS and more.
Ad Net Zero, the global climate action programme for the advertising industry, has announced that Dr. Bill Wescott will serve as lead climate science and policy advisor and chair of the Ad Net Zero Climate Science Advisory Group. Wescott’s role will ensure that the Ad Net Zero programme embodies best practice in climate science, policy, and regulation. Wescott’s remit will support the ad industry to accelerate climate action, both through decarbonising the entire ad value chain and inspiring behavioural change through the campaigns created. Wescott will chair the Climate Science Advisory Group, part of the new governance structure for Ad Net Zero as we grow in supporters and geographical regions. Bill will serve as co-chair of the Ad Net Zero US working group 5 on behaviour change – ‘Harness Advertising’s Power to Support Consumer Behaviour Change’. In addition, he will collaborate with the leading global regulatory and standards organisations focused on climate, including WRI, BSI, SBTi and Race to Zero. Additional responsibilities include chairing the Climate Science Expert Group which is supporting the new Ad Net Zero/GARM global greenhouse gas life cycle assessment standard to estimate emissions for ad campaigns, and representing Ad Net Zero at both advertising and sustainability conferences.
RTB House, a global company providing automated performance advertising in Open Internet for top brands and agencies worldwide, has announced the appointment of Sophia Cao as Director of Private Advertising Advocacy. Her role will involve advocating for privacy standards with regulators, industry associations, and partners across the globe. Given the profound changes happening across the advertising ecosystem, Cao will be instrumental in maintaining the company’s place as a leading player in the market. Prior to joining RTB House, Cao spent almost ten years at Google, most recently as part of the Partnerships team for the Privacy Sandbox. Before this, she spent seven years as a revenue analyst in the Google Ad Manager team and a consultant to top publisher partners. Her experience makes her perfectly placed to lead RTB House’s vital work within the advertising community, particularly as Google’s cookie deprecation timeline continues to evolve. Cao will be instrumental in facilitating collaboration and advocating for industry standards while nurturing alliances with partners across the advertising ecosystem to help drive the RTB House business forward.
