James (pictured) takes over the role from Kurt Edwards, Digital Commercial Director at Future Publishing.
Lee Baker, Director of AOP said, “Kurt has done a sterling job as Commercial Chair during his two year tenure; not least the architecture of our latest research project, the New Rules of Engagement. We thank him for his commitment and for sharing his experience with what is one of our most lively and vocal committees. We’re pleased that James is taking on the role to lead the group forward. AOP’s committees are core to the association. Their success is driven by an active and committed chairperson.”
James Brown, new Commercial Committee Chair of the AOP added, “I’m delighted to be voted in as chair of the group. Our main priority, in my view, will be in developing the data proposition around premium content. There’s a significant opportunity for us, here, but only if publishers can work together – and this is exactly the kind of forum the AOP Commercial Committee provides.”
James is currently Digital Sales Director, Telegraph Media Group (TMG); in 2010 he was promoted to Digital Sales Director at TMG responsible for global digital advertising revenues. He joined TMG in 2008 as Head of Commercial Strategy, responsible for launching the Performance Network which brought a new dimension to the TMG advertising portfolio, enabling TMG to carry pure play direct response advertisers. James has 10 years of media agency experience, prior to joining TMG, James spent six years at Diffiniti where he was Digital Trading Director.
The AOP Commercial Committee is focused on unifying publishers to pool knowledge and expertise in exploring common issues and opportunities particularly through project groups in emerging areas of commercial focus – data, video, mobile and ad engagement. The committee aims to ensure that the commercial interests of publishers are represented with agencies and suppliers; and that industry initiatives are prominent within the group.
Committee chairs for AOP are voted for in a ballot of members of the committee.
