Robert Kelly has been working in digital since 2003 starting in sales at IT professional publisher Netcommunities. Other notable roles include Head of Publisher Sales at TradeDoubler, Business Development Director at Mojiva and Mobvista and UK general manager for PapayaMobile. Rob is currently contracting for Finnish exchange ThirdPresence leading their publisher acquisition initiatives.
Who is your digital hero?
Jon Walsh. I’ve known Jon for many years from his days at Glam Media through Monetise and more recently through his work with the online Adtech communities.
Jon has been a prominent figure on the London Adtech scene for over two decades now. He’s done it all founder, COO, writer and he remains a nice guy to have a drink with.
What has he done to win hero status in your eyes?
The creation of the Adtech chat community and Jobsinatech. There are now dozens of Adtech chat communities with topics ranging from technical subjects like AI and CTV, through to regional groupings and non work interest groups such as books and dogs.
What has really helped me and many others in particular has been the Jobsinadtech group. It’s been a long and difficult period for many over the last couple of years. Lots of the digital community have faced redundancy, reduced hours or at the very least much greater uncertainty about their futures.
This group has allowed people a space to vent their fears, talk frankly about challenges and share opportunities. Jon is also very knowledgeable about crypto and it was him who alerted me to the story of Dr. Ruja Ignatova AKA the missing crypto queen. That a fraud of this scale is not better known (despite the BBC series and book,) is a mystery to me. A cautionary tale well worth exploring.
How has his heroism helped drive digital?
Jon’s earlier roles as a founder and investor certainly helped drive digital, and he’s still innovating with his Linked Bands business. I
t is however the groups he has created such as CTV, Audio ads that allow experts to discuss their verticals in depth which is driving knowledge sharing across the digital landscape. Personally I’ve found the AI group exceptionally useful cutting through much of the hyperbole that you currently hear and discussing what is actually happening.
What are the biggest challenges in digital we need another hero to solve?
We’re drowning in granular data yet losing sight of the bigger picture, can’t see the wood for the trees. AI is rapidly replacing traditional search, demanding entirely new strategies for discovery and attribution.
Meanwhile, media consumption is fragmenting: Instagram and vertical platforms are eclipsing the open web, reshaping how brands reach audiences and how publishers survive. We need a hero who can simplify complexity, rebuild trust in a post-cookie world, and help the industry adapt to AI-driven behavior without sacrificing creativity or reach.
What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
Too many to mention in such a short time. One that sticks in my mind is the Lovefilm viral game campaign we ran at TradeDoubler, still sending out Lovefilm trial disks 18 months after it started.
Despite my age however I’m hoping to have at least one more achievement that eclipses this and with change comes opportunity so I’m hopeful.
