Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has announced that Jake Thomas will be the new UK business lead, based in London.

He will report to Ronan Harris, Snap’s President of EMEA, and take on the role of Senior Commercial Director for the UK.

He’ll be responsible for shaping and leading Snap’s business strategy in the region, driving growth through brand partnerships, new revenue streams, and innovative monetisation.

Jake has been with Snap since 2017 and is currently Head of UAE Operations, where he leads the Large Customer Sales (LCS) and Agency teams in Dubai.

He has helped grow Snap’s business across the MENA region. Before joining Snap, Jake worked at LinkedIn for six years and started his media career at The Telegraph Media Group.

He also holds board positions at the IAB and IAA UAE.

Jake has been acting as the interim UK business lead for the past few months following Bridget Lea’s departure and is now officially stepping into the role full-time.

Ronan Harris, President of EMEA, Snap said: “I’m thrilled to appoint Jake to lead the UK business at such an exciting time for Snap. He has been instrumental in the success of our MENA business, and his vision for the UK, alongside his clear passion for Snap’s product, innovation and values, will take our successful UK business with over 21 million Snapchatters to the next level!”

Commenting on his appointment, Thomas said: “I’m excited to take the helm of Snap’s UK business, a strategically vital region for Snap with a large and engaged community, advertisers seeing significant results, and innovative creators growing their reach. Building on strong foundations, I can’t wait to lead the next chapter of Snap’s growth in the UK, driving deeper value for both our partners and Snapchatters.”