The mobile marketing industry is ever-changing, and that applies to the people as much as the technology. Movers & Shakers is our regular feature following the hottest hires in the industry, so you can keep track of who’s joined which company, and what they’re doing there.

Joswiak elevated at Apple as Schiller steps aside
Apple has promoted Greg Joswiak to its executive team as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing after Phil Schiller moved away from the role to become an Apple Fellow.

Schiller, who joined Apple in 1987, will continue to lead the App Store and Apple Events. Meanwhile, Joswiak, who has spent more than 20 years in leadership roles across Apple product marketing himself, will be responsible for Apple’s product management and product marketing, developer relations, market research, business management, as well as education, enterprise, and international marketing.

“Phil has helped make Apple the company it is today and his contributions are broad, vast, and run deep. In this new role he will continue to provide the incredible thought partnership, and guidance that have defined his decades at Apple,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Joz’s many years of leadership in the Product Marketing organisation make him perfectly suited to this new role and will ensure a seamless transition at a moment when the team is engaged in such important and exciting work. I’m thrilled that the whole executive team will benefit from his collaboration, ideas, and energy.”

Waze turns to Roberts to manage UK business
Ruairidh Roberts has been named as the UK Country Manager at Google-owned navigation app Waze. Based in London, his main focus will be working closely with Waze’s advertisers across the fuel, retail, fast food and automotive industries to help them create meaningful local ad experiences through destination-based marketing.

Roberts brings a wealth of experience to the Waze team coming from his role as Industry Head for Travel at Google, which he began in 2013. In his previous role, he led the technology company’s relationships with leaders in the hospitality and tour operating sectors in the UK and across EMEA. Prior to this, he worked at The New York Times Company for over 10 years.

“I’m excited to be joining Waze at such a crucial moment in the company’s history,” said Roberts. “We are seeing travel habits shift significantly due to the impact of Covid-19, so ensuring that the app is there to support users and brands as they navigate the new normal is my priority. Waze’s mission is to get people and technology to meet to solve transportation challenges and in today’s climate, this has never been more important.”

Nicholas and Kline arrive at MediaMath
Ad tech company MediaMath has appointed Eleni Nicholas as its first Chief Client Officer and added Allie Kline to its Board.

Reporting to MediaMath President Konrad Gerszke, Nicholas will be responsible for leading all client-facing teams globally, working hand in hand with MediaMath’s clients to help them improve the return on their digital marketing investment. She joins from Nielsen, where she spent 28 years in a variety of commercial, client-facing, Managing Director, and organisational transformation roles. Most recently, she was global leader of the business unit responsible for Nielsen’s relationships with its 35 largest global CPG clients.

“I built a belief in measurement as the solution at Nielsen and saw that the connection of business goals and metrics to media buying and execution directly was the future,” said Nicholas. “That measurement will quickly become real-time decisioning for marketers with a globally addressable and accountable connection to consumers via high-quality media across all screens and speakers globally. I wanted to be in a midsized global company that had big ambitions and enough smart, talented, and good people to make them come true.”

Kline joins MediaMaths Board of Directors, bringing a wealth of industry expertise and board member experience with 33Across, Huntington National Bank and Pier 1. She was previously Chief Marketing Officer for Verizon Communications subsidiary Oath (now Verizon Media) and was Chief Marketing Officer at AOL.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the most disruptive brands and companies in digital,” Kline said. “MediaMath is living up to its legacy and building an accountable and addressable digital supply chain and ecosystem that rights the wrongs of the industrys evolution. I look forward to joining the Board and the impressive talent the company has recently attracted on this journey.”

DoubleVerify makes three senior hires across EMEA
Hugh Munro, Carole Dubourg, and David Wayne have all joined DoubleVerify (DV), a digital media measurement firm.

In the newly created role of Regional Vice President for Northern Europe, Munro will lead the execution of the company’s growth strategy in the UK, Benelux and the Nordics, with a focus on building and scaling dynamic relationships with the largest agencies and brands in the region. Having been the first hire in Europe for TubeMogul (following its acquisition by Adobe), Munro brings more than a decade of software sales experience to the role.

“The narrative around media quality is slowly starting to change, and DVs industry-leading product suite gives marketers and their agencies the controls to both protect and optimise their investments,” Munro explained. “Im proud to be joining a company with such a clear mission at a time where quality – and its impact on media efficiency and effectiveness – has never been more under the spotlight.”

Based in Paris, Dubourg has been named Regional Vice President for Southern Europe. She is tasked with working with local teams to accelerate DV’s growth across the region. Most recently, she was France Country Manager at Telaria, and has also held leadership roles at Yahoo and Sizmek.

“Now more than ever, brands need independent, transparent, and trustworthy partners to measure and maximise the value and safety of their ad investments. DV’s innovative proposition is at the forefront of this field. I look forward to working with brands and agencies across Southern Europe to harness this technology to drive up value and standards across the ad ecosystem,” said Dubourg. 

Finally, Wayne is now DV’s Director, Senior HR Business Partner for EMEA and APAC. Previously Vice President of People operations at LoopMe, he will be responsible for talent management and acquisition, employee relations, and performance management.

“Having the right talent in place is fundamental to achieving DV’s vision of building a better advertising industry,” Wayne said. “I’m delighted to join the company to drive its HR agenda, grow the EMEA and APAC contingent and build on the work of this highly capable and strategic team.”

Smoler appointed ECD at Droga5
Advertising agency Droga5 London has promoted Shelley Smoler to Executive Creative Director. Previously Group Creative Director, she will report to Chief Creative Officer David Kolbusz and be responsible for leading the creative department, overseeing pitches, developing mentorship and diversity programmes, and working across clients.

Smoler joined Droga5 in 2017 and was promoted to Group Creative Director the following year. Prior to Droga5, she was Creative Director at Bartle Bogle Hegarty London, where she worked with brands including Audi, Google, Heineken, and KFC.

“I am lucky enough to be working alongside the nicest, most talented and creatively ambitious group of people on the planet,” said Smoler. “I’m looking forward to continuing to help grow and shape the creative department and be inspired by them in equal measure.”

MediaCom names Krichefski Global COO
Josh Krichefski has added the position of Worldwide Chief Operating Officer to his existing role as EMEA Chief Executive Officer at MediaCom.

Krichefski has been at MediaCom since 2011 and became EMEA CEO in September 2019, having previously been CEO of MediaCom UK. Prior to that, he was Global Director of Client Development at Havas, where he led best practice initiatives for clients including Danone and Mars Foods.

“I’ve always been inspired by the people at MediaCom and our ability to deliver work that transforms our clients’ businesses,” Krichefski said. “My focus will be on continuing to drive our culture and capacity to do so.”

Sapollnik lifted to EVP of strategy at Omnicom
The Omnicom Group has promoted Adrian Sapollnik to the role of Executive Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development. He will be responsible for developing, coordinating and executing Omnicom-wide strategy initiatives while working closely with senior leadership of the companys networks – BBDO, DDB, TBWA, Omnicom Media Group and DAS – and their agencies. He will also continue to oversee the merger and acquisition team as well as real estate operations.

Sapollnik joined Omnicom in 2009 as Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development and was responsible for investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, and special projects. Prior to joining Omnicom, he spent 10 years in investment banking in New York. From 1998 through 2007, he worked at J.P. Morgan Securities in its technology, media and telecommunications practice and subsequently joined Credit Suisses telecommunications and media group.

“Over the last 10 years, Adrian has been a key player in all major decisions we have made at Omnicom, including the initiatives to align and drive growth and efficiencies throughout our business portfolio and, most recently, adjusting operations so that we can weather the pandemic and emerge successfully on the other side,” said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom. “His knowledge of Omnicom, our sector, M&A and finance have made him a vital member of our executive team and we are pleased to be expanding his roles and responsibilities.”

Adverty makes three strategic hires
Tobias Knutsson, Christian Atack, and Nicola Halpin have joined in-game ad platform Adverty as Chief Commercial Officer, Senior Director of Business Development, and Senior Director of Sales respectively.

Knutsson will be responsible for driving revenue and overseeing sales in US, EMEA and APAC. He has held senior commercial roles within the Schibsted Group and, most recently, as Swedish CEO at Strossle.

“In-game brand advertising is currently experiencing a significant growth potential worldwide and it is an exciting time to be joining Adverty to lead the company’s commercial division globally”, said Knutsson.

Previously Head of Publisher Business Development EMEA at Mintegral, Atack will be responsible for the continued global growth of publishers using Adverty’s in-game ad platform for monetisation. He has held senior business development roles at a number of other ad tech companies including Taptica, Unity, and Digital Turbine.

“In-game advertising to date has been all about driving users to download and play new apps. Adverty, on the other hand, allows game publishers to keep their users while generating revenue through deeply integrated brand ads, and that I believe is the future of game monetisation.” explained Christian. “This is such an exciting time to be joining the company.”

Finally, Halpin will be focused on agency and brand sales for the EMEA market, reporting to Knutsson. Formerly Head of Agency Sales at Taptica, she has held a variety of senior roles at companies such as CBS Interactive, Carat, The Weather Channel, and IDG Communications.

“Leading media agencies are now starting to heavily look into and prioritise the gaming vertical as the media channel for the future,” added Halpin. “Adverty is an exceptional in-game advertising platform and I am delighted to be joining the team to bring this innovative company to a wider range of brands and agencies.”

Appleton joins TMA as first diversity lead
Omnicom Group-owned The Marketing Arm (TMA) has hired Veronica Appleton as its first Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Reporting to CEO Andrew Robinson, she will serve as the champion, expert, and project leader to drive DEI vision, strategy, and initiatives at TMA.

Veronica has led DEI programs and advised brands in a variety of settings — including agencies, academia, and nonprofit — throughout her professional life. She was most recently a DEI curriculum advisor for Northwestern University via partnership with GetSmarter, a lecturer at DePaul University, and a PhD candidate in organizational behavior and leadership at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

“From its current investment in organizations like The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Color of Change and The Loveland Foundation, to developing leaders within agency-led employee resource groups, I know TMA is ready to build practices, policies and programs that will keep the voices of those marginalized top of mind,” Appleton said. “For too long, BIPOC’s, people with disabilities, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ have been overlooked, undervalued and misrepresented in our industry. I’m excited about the opportunity to partner with a mighty team to keep these voices magnified and to steer continuous action, as our work is not just for today or tomorrow, but long-lasting for generational change.” 

TextNow looks to Willner to head up growth
Ken Willner has been named as Chief Growth Officer at free calling and texting app TextNow. He will oversee TextNow’s growth and marketing efforts with a focus on accelerating customer acquisition and raising brand awareness, while continuing to drive monetisation of TextNow’s mobile app.

Willner, who has been actively involved in the development of mobile as a media platform since 2002, was most recently CEO of Zumobi. He previously served as Vice President of Advertising and Media at AT&T Wireless, where he developed innovative marketing programs to stimulate consumer adoption of several first-to-market mobile applications.

“I think TextNow is one the best kept secrets in the mobile industry, and I share the company’s passion for making free phone service available to everyone who needs it,” said Willner. “I’m really impressed by the quality of the product offering and the growth the company has achieved so far. As we continue to scale, I see a great opportunity, particularly in this current environment, to build market momentum for TextNow and help make sure that everyone can stay connected, no matter their budget.”

Welsh to lead creativity at Dept
Dept, a digital agency, has appointed Jake Welsh to the position of Executive Creative Director in the UK. He is responsible for driving he agency’s creative excellence.

Welsh founded e3creative and oversaw the Manchester experience design agency as managing di-rector for ten years prior to merging with Dept. He will now be the key spokesperson for Dept in the creative industry.

“Behind the curtain, Dept has been creating groundbreaking products. We’ve been very humble about our achievements and, as the agency collaborates with more leading brands, we’re starting to gain a reputation,” said Welsh.

“It’s time for Dept to share its perspective and become more widely known in the creative industry. I’ll be looking to strengthen our partnerships with award bodies such as Cannes Lions, as well as connecting with education, industry and the corporate community to inspire the future digital, technology and creative sector.”

MetaCX opts for Crossley as services VP
Brett Crossley has joined MetaCX, a customer lifecycle platform, as Vice President of Services and Success. Reporting to President Jake Sorofman, he will be responsible for pre-sales engineering, professional services, technical support, training, onboarding and customer success.

Crossley joins MetaCX from Richardson Sales Performance, where he was Vice President of Software Development. Prior to Richardson, he was a founder of multiple software companies, including Shiny Creek, FanConnect, 10 Foot Wave, and Tusonic.

“MetaCX is attacking the customer lifecycle from a powerful new perspective,” Crossley said. “Ive seen firsthand the problem of connecting the solutions a company provides to measurable customer outcomes, and Im excited to help drive that forward.”