Kieron Matthews will be stepping down from his role as marketing director for the Internet Advertising Bureau UK at the end of the year to launch a new company, The Digital Consultancy.
Matthews has partnered with Chris England, head of global planning for Digitas, to establish the consultancy, which will be aimed at educating senior brand management about digital communications and how to work with their agencies more effectively.
The core focus of the Digital-Consultancy will be to provide ‘objective intelligence’ coupled with digital brand strategy to help advertisers avoid jumping into the virtual world head-first and invest in a long-term digital strategy that drives profits.
Kieron was appointed the IAB’s first head of marketing in April 2006, with his role including overseeing all IAB marketing communications across brand marketing, agency presentations, mobile, and promoting results from IAB initiatives. Before becoming head of marketing for the IAB, Kieron was Marketing Director at digital marketing agency Dare.
To replace Matthews, the IAB are currently looking for a new Marketing and Operations Director, to oversee the day-to-day running of the business and act as a key industry spokesperson for the trade body, to start in January 2011.
Co-founder of The Digital-Consultancy Chris England’s marketing career has spanned the globe, having been based in Boston, London, Toronto, Singapore & Sydney and working for a number of leading agencies such as Euro RSCG, Draft, Grey Global Group and TBWA/Tequila. Within his most recent role, at Digitals, Chris helped drive the digital strategy for major blue-chip companies including General Motors and Procter & Gamble.
Guy Phillipson, chief executive of the Internet Advertising Bureau said: “Kieron will be a hard act to follow at the IAB – and we’re going to miss him. Since his arrival back in 2006, the IAB has become a complete provider of digital marketing services, with a vibrant brand identity. In fact we act more like an agency than a trade association, largely thanks to Kieron’s creativity and inspirational direction – not to mention his entertaining presentations! We wish him well at The Digital Consultancy, and I’m sure he’ll be in great demand.”
Kieron Matthews said: “Working for the IAB over the last four and a half years has been nothing but exhilarating and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the best talent in the industry. Setting up The Digital-Consultancy is an opportunity to expand on the work I’ve been doing and assist advertisers to build their brands through digital.”
Chris England said: “The Digital-Consultancy exists to help Clients and Agencies alike – no longer is the Digital Arena a place solely for creative experimentation, it is now paramount that brands and companies have a robust digital strategy that complements and enhances their marketing and business objectives.”
www.iabuk.net
www.thedigital-consultancy.com