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.

Reed takes up strategic partnership role at Kelkoo
Pan-European eCommerce advertising and shopping comparison service Kelkoo Group has appointed Simon Reed as its new commercial director to drive sales and boost return on ad spend (ROAS) for the group’s partner retailers.

Based out of group’s London headquarters, Reed will have responsibility for building strategic client partnerships and engagement with media agencies across Europe, as well as handling the group’s marketing and communication functions.

He joins Kelkoo following the announcement of a new Shopping Ads partnership with Google, which the company says offers retailers an average saving of 32 per cent on total ad spend by bypassing the premiums faced by retailers on Google Shopping.

With over 15 years’ experience in advertising, having previously held director-level positions at AOL and Microsoft, Reed has experience managing EMEA level trading deals for subsidiaries such as Omnicom, Publicis, Aegis and IPG. He joins Kelkoo from Hearst, where he held the position of international trading director.

“We are delighted to welcome Simon to the group here in London,” said Kelkoo CEO, Richard Stables. “His appointment will ensure that we deliver even better value for our partner retailers, unlocking enhanced access to consumers and boosting return on investment.

“The recent struggles of flagship high street names such as John Lewis and House of Fraser, as well as success of online retailers such as Boohoo, indicates the scale of the shift to eCommerce. Retailers need to ensure that they offer a strong online customer experience and omnichannel options to compete with the major players.”

Gorney leaves ASDA for Journey Further as its 13th new hire in 2018
Performance marketing agency Journey Further has hired Chris Gorney as it client strategy director.
He joins the company following five years at ASDA as senior manager, media planning and performance, where he oversaw media planning for the majority of ASDA’s media budget and led the integration of a number of media effectiveness initiatives.

With 14 years’ digital marketing experience under his belt, he is the first member of strategy director Dan Peden’s new client strategy team. Peden said: “We’re serious about offering our clients direct access to the very best digital talent, which is why we’re so thrilled to have Chris on board. He is hugely experienced when it comes to measuring the incrementality of media campaigns and proving ROI.

“The age of account managers is long gone. Our vision is to build a team of client strategists who can work directly with clients to add value above and beyond the typical agency-client relationship.”

Gorney is the company’s 13th new hire in a year which has seen 15 client wins, the launch of PR & SEO offering Journey Further Influence, and a 131 per cent increase in turnover.

Willis takes up EVP marketing role at Equiis
Swiss enterprise communications firm Equis Technologies has appointed Zoe Willis as its executive vice president, marketing. She has over 20 years’ media experience, and joins Equiis from Hearst Magazines, where she was commercial director of Harper’s Bazaar and Town and Country. In her new role, she will be responsible for the development of Equiis’ global marketing communications across all B2B and B2C channels.

She said: “I am delighted to be joining Equiis at this pivotal point in its development as it strives to become a global powerhouse in the field of secure communications. The need for secure, encrypted communications is mission critical to businesses of all sizes and I am looking forward to playing a key role as Equiis increases its presence in key global markets.”

Equiis supplies secure mobile communications. It has developed a range of solutions designed to allow professionals to take back control of their communications, while remaining secure.