Mobile-first company TabMo has appointed Kayode Ijaola as Head of Platform Operations; the role has been newly-expanded as the company’s cross-channel advertising platform, Hawk, is increasingly adopted by media buyers. Ijaola will be responsible for overseeing all campaigns that run through Hawk, ensuring they operate at an optimal level, drive results for clients and deliver insight through relevant metrics. Ijaola joins from programmatic media operator MiQ where, as group trader manager, he managed the team responsible for the UK’s largest agency holding groups. Prior to that, he was responsible for the delivery and performance of programmatic campaigns for clients at digital accelerator Beamly; previously he held a trading role at digital media marketplace, The Exchange Lab.
IPG Mediabrands and Kinesso have announced the appointment of Aisha Suleiman as the network’s first Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for the EMEA region. An award-winning Diversity and Inclusion champion, Suleiman joins with a wealth of experience in developing programs that drive positive change and improve opportunities for all. Her most recent role at Amazon combined working with educational institutions across EMEA to promote cloud computing skills, with being the Chair and Executive Board lead of the Amazon Black Employee Network. She is also the founder of The Inclusive Culture, an Inclusion Board Member for the Rugby Football League and the founder of The World in Her Words.
E-scooter operator Voi is welcoming Jack Samler as its new UK and Ireland General Manager, Matthew Pencharz as its new Head of Policy for UK, Ireland and Benelux and Anna Gustavsson as its new VP of Product in Stockholm as it seeks to grow its UK and head office leadership teams. Jack Samler joins Voi as General Manager, with responsibility for leading the UK and Ireland business. Samler joins Voi from Deliveroo, where over the last three years he has held several leadership positions. Most recently, he was the tech company’s UK and Ireland commercial director, running their portfolio of 20,000 independent restaurant partners and leading a team of over 100 people.
Matthew Pencharz is also joining the UK team as Voi’s new Head of Policy for the UK, Ireland and Benelux. Pencharz is well-known for his strategic leadership in transport and environment, having served four years as Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy while Boris Johnson was Mayor. Pencharz led the Greater London Authority’s work on the proposal for the world’s first Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Anna Gustavsson is joining Voi as its new VP of Product in Stockholm, bringing a new focus to company’s vision of sustainable e-scooter technology. Gustavsson was previously at Hive, the largest connected home provider in the UK owned by British Gas and Centrica, most recently as the company’s Head of Product. During her time at Hive, Gustavsson was responsible for setting product strategy and roadmap, launched the company’s first subscription-based product, led the end-to-end ownership of all products and oversaw a team of 35.
ECI Media Management has announced the promotion of Line Totten to the newly created role of Chief Product Officer, reporting into Global CEO Fredrik Kinge. In her new role, Totten will oversee the development and implementation of an aggressive plan to drive innovation across the company’s product offering. Totten joined ECI Media Management in 2008 as Head of Auditing Insights and Senior VP of Global Clients. She has more than 20 years’ experience in media consulting, auditing and market research; prior to joining ECI Media Management, Totten held senior positions at IPSOS MMI and Ebiquity.
Midlands-based integrated agency WPR has appointed Philippa Crosthwaite as Marketing Director. Crosthwaite, a strategic marketer with over 20 years’ experience acquired through a mix of in-house and agency roles, will take responsibility for ensuring that WPR communicates its own stories as effectively as those of its clients. Her appointment in April 2021 is not Crosthwaite’s first experience of working at WPR. She completed a student placement year at the agency during her PR degree and began her career a graduate account executive on the B2B team more than two decades ago.
Tech company Adnami, which specialises in programmatic, high-impact advertising solutions, has announced the appointment of Peter Østrem as Nordic Market Director. With 20 years experience in the online media industry, including as Head of Media at Wunderman Thompson MAP (Marketing Automation & Personalisation Center of Excellence); he has also held the role of CCO at UNUM ai; VP Nordics at AudienceProject; and Director Nordics at Advertising.com, amongst many others.
Fluent Commerce, the global distributed order management platform for omni-channel retail, has announced that Alex Pusenjak has joined the team as Global Head of People. In his most recent role, Pusenjak oversaw the human resources function across Asia Pacific for Datto, a leading provider of cloud-based software and security solutions purpose-built for delivery by managed service providers. Pusenjak brings over 10 years of human resources leadership experience to his new role at Fluent Commerce where his focus will be to create a world-class onboarding experience, develop a career model framework across the business and implement a competitive global benefits program.
Tanium, a provider of endpoint management and security built has announced the appointment of Marc Levine as Chief Financial Officer, effective May 17. Levine will lead Tanium’s global finance organization. Levine brings more than 14 years of experience in executive financial leadership, driving business strategy and process improvement. At Tanium, he’ll oversee the global finance team and finance-related operational functions, in addition to managing all external financial relationships. Most recently, Levine was CFO of RSA Security, where he led the company’s transition from a Dell subsidiary to a standalone operation. Prior to RSA, he held the role of Chief Financial Officer at software company C3.ai, Athenahealth and JDA Software, now Blue Yonder.
LAB Group has promoted Chief Growth Officer Harpreet Bushell to the new role of Group Managing Director. During her first year at LAB, Bushell has led many of the initiatives that have helped develop the group’s capabilities attract and nurture enterprise clients. As Group Managing Director, Bushell will lead on the implementation of LAB’s Group strategy, helping major clients reshape their digital future within a dynamic market.
Music video network Vevo has hired Lindsey Saunders as the Vevo UK team’s Business Director, effective the 10th of May. Saunders comes to Vevo after six years at ITV, where she handled strategic sales and created and sold bespoke campaigns across ITV’s portfolio of channels and off-air extensions, including VoD and the ITV Hub. Prior to ITV, she worked at Bell Media in Canada, most recently for CTV Toronto, where she developed and sold multi-platform advertising campaigns incorporating television, online and integrated on-air content for CTV, CP24 and corresponding digital platforms.
Creative agency ELVIS has promoted David Whitehouse from the position of Business Director to the newly created role of Client Services Director. He will now oversee client services at ELVIS and take on leadership of the 20-strong client services team. Whitehouse joined ELVIS as a graduate trainee in 2010, and he has since led many of the agency’s most successful client work, including the multiple award-winning Cadbury Premier League initiative, which has achieved year-on-year growth in ROI.
Medallia has announced that René Carayol has been named Executive Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Carayol has advised CEOs in the Fortune 500, Financial Times Stock Exchange 100, and all around the world. He specialises in leadership, culture and transformation, drawing from his own unique experiences on the boards of the biggest international organisations; from Pepsi to IPC Media and the Inland Revenue. René’s corporate success has seen him travel the world and inspire businesses to make far-reaching changes across the globe.
Extreme Networks, Inc. has announced new sales leadership in the Americas and Asia Pacific, Japan & Greater China (APJC). Extreme named Paul Semak as Senior Vice President of Americas Sales and Jeff Hurmuses as Vice President of APJC Sales. As Senior Vice President of Americas Sales, Semak will report to Chief Revenue Officer Joe Vitalone and lead Extreme’s sales operations in the US, Canada, and Latin America. He brings over 25 years of experience in direct and indirect sales to the role, and has expertise in product marketing, leadership development, and digital transformation. Semak initially joined Extreme in 2018 as Vice President of Sales and Operations, Americas International. Prior to this, he worked his way up through the sales organization at Cisco, most recently serving as Vice President of Sales in Central Canada.
As Vice President of Sales in APJC, Hurmuses will manage sales operations across the Asia Pacific region, reporting into John Morrison, Extreme’s SVP of International Sales. Previously, Hurmuses served as Area Vice President for Asia Pacific at Malwarebytes, where he led market entry in 10 countries and drove double-digit revenue growth in the region. Prior to that role, Hurmuses led sales operations in the Asia Pacific region for Barracuda Networks, Dell’s Force 10 Networks, Tandberg (acquired by Cisco in 2010), Watchguard Technologies, and Polycom.
Data, insights and consulting company Kantar has announced the appointment of Alex Cesar to the newly created position of Chief Technology Officer. Reporting to Deputy CEO Ian Griffiths, Cesar will be responsible for defining and delivering the future technology agenda core to the next phase of Kantar’s growth. Most recently, Alex Cesar was CIO of Data & Analytics for London Stock Exchange Group, where she led the technology teams delivering the revenue-driving Data & Analytics solutions. Cesar joined LSEG through their acquisition of Refinitiv in January 2021. At Refinitiv, Cesar was promoted to CTO in October 2019, where she led the teams that built, operated and innovated Refinitiv’s strategic data platforms. Prior to that, Cesar spent several years as Global Head of Risk Technology, after having held various technology leadership roles at Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and other financial institutions.
CloudBees, an enterprise software delivery company, has announced Shawn Ahmed as Chief Marketing Officer. Ahmed joined CloudBees in 2018 and has served as senior vice president and general manager, products and solutions marketing. Ahmed played an integral role in repositioning the company’s individual products to a software delivery platform uniquely suited to the needs of global enterprises. In his role as CMO, Ahmed will focus on strengthening the CloudBees brand and establishing a powerful demand generation engine to fuel sales and customer satisfaction at every stage of the customer journey.
PUSH LIVE has announced the hiring of Simon Hosken as Chief Financial and Operating Officer. Hosken previously held the position of COO and CFO for 15 years at Eagle Rock Entertainment, the world’s leading independent producers, publishers and distributors of music programming in both live and music documentaries. Before his role at Eagle Rock Entertainment, Hosken worked for Acclaim Entertainment, a global developer and publisher of video and computer games, BSkyB, MTV and Price Waterhouse.
Cavai has appointed Stephen Cutbill as VP of Global Partnerships. Cutbill will grow the current roster of Cavai platforms, publishers and partners – driving adoption of the industry’s most engaging and innovative media placements through an integrated approach to conversational advertising. Previously UK Managing Director at Hubvisor, an ad tech provider helping digital publishers to optimise revenue strategies, Cutbill started his career at News international and Future Publishing before going on to work at a range of leading digital media businesses including Adconian Media Group, MediaMath, OpenX and TripleLift. An experienced digital leader, with more than 15 years of experience working on both the buy and sell side of the advertising ecosystem, he has led commercial and client service efforts across a range of DSPs, SSPs and publishers.
Leeds-based PR agency, Aberfield Communications, has appointed Katie Evans as PR Consultant. Evans joins the team from Jaywing in Leeds, where she worked as a Senior PR Executive delivering digital PR campaigns across a wide range of industries including technology, e-commerce and travel. Evans’ digital PR portfolio includes securing 200+ pieces of coverage for a campaign for travel provider, Florida4Less, and securing a front-page feature in the Sunday Times for Good Move.
Freshworks Inc. has announced the appointment of SaaS industry veteran, John Crossan, as its Vice President & General Manager of Europe. Crossan brings over 20 years of experience in the sector to Freshworks and is tasked with leading the company’s rapid growth across Europe. Previously, Crossan served as Vice President Sales, EMEA for Zendesk for nearly five years, guiding his team through consecutive periods of rapid growth. Prior to that, Crossan held the role of Area Vice President, EMEA Enterprise Business Unit Service Cloud at Salesforce, leading EMEA sales teams to rapidly accelerate their bookings across a two-year period.
HomeGrid Forum has announced that Livia Rosu has been appointed as its new President. With a career spanning 22 years in standardization and silicon development within the telecommunications industry, Rosu will continue to champion the innovation and deployment of G.hn across the world. Dedicated to the development and standardization of revolutionary technologies, Rosu has spent the last decade as HomeGrid Forum Marketing Work Group Chair and Board member, being a passionate ambassador for G.hn technology. She has been instrumental in unlocking G.hn’s high connectivity potential for the wider broadband industry and has worked tirelessly to foster industry-wide collaboration for many market segments and applications.
