Gareth Neville is Head of Business Development for EMEA at Kepler Group. Before this, Gareth was at Amazon Ads. As a mentor with Brixton Finishing School, Gareth champions diversity in advertising and supports emerging talent in the industry.
Who is your digital hero?
Ok, so this was a lot harder than I thought. And it’s probably only fair I give a few honourable mentions to people who came to mind straight away.
Ally Owen, founder of Brixton Finishing School, deserves huge recognition for being an absolute force of change. Ally brings such incredible energy to driving progress not just in digital, but across adland in general. If you don’t know BFS, get to know!
Next up is a newer entry in my world: Camm Rowland, Kepler’s Chief Creative & AI Officer. Camm’s ambitions for Kepler are next level. His creative vision is propelling Kepler’s product roadmap into the future at light speed. Blurring the lines between agency and Adtech. A true creative mastermind and great dude.
But for this article, I want to remember the late David German, AKA DG.
What have they done to win hero status in your eyes?
DG was a big reason for me joining Amazon Ads. At the time, he was Head of Advertising in the Emerging Ad Sales org – a demanding role, enormous expectations, scrutiny, and constant delivery pressures. What made him exceptional was how lightly he wore the responsibility when it came to caring for his team.
A fantastic leader and mentor to Amazonians across the globe. His hero status came from his ability to make all those in the organisation feel important, heard and understood. In a business that moves fast, DG built trust at scale simply by being human. E
ven under intense demands, he made time for people, at all levels. Alongside leading a large organisation, he was a passionate advocate for growth and development. He played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of many Amazonians.
DG sadly passed away on 3rd June 2023.
How did his heroism helped drive digital?
This one’s more “local” than industry-wide change. But from a local, cultural standpoint, DG had the rare gift of making people feel safe. Safe to ask questions and figure things out. That kind of environment is incredibly powerful in a big, fast-moving, multi-matrix business because it creates space for growth, failing fast, learning, and collaboration.
DG helped drive a cultural shift by showing there are other ways to lead: prioritising empathy, trust, and psychological safety. And in doing so, paved the way for a new generation of managers and leaders, offering a human example of what good leadership looks like.
What are the biggest challenges in digital that we need another hero to solve?
I’m glad you asked. This allows me to circle back to my honourable mentions!
We need more Ally Owens in the world – changing the game when it comes to clearing the path for new talent to shine. And more Camm Rowlands, who lean into AI through a creative lens. Not seeing it as a threat, but something that fuels creativity. Allowing advertisers to do more and go further, faster than we’ve ever been able to before.
What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
I mean, I don’t know if I can say anything that I have done is particularly heroic.
But I think something that I’m proud of is not being afraid to start again. Career paths are rarely linear, and I’ve had my fair share of obstacles, but I feel this has shaped how I show up. I love that saying, Slow success builds character, fast success builds ego. I feel I’m just getting started!
