March saw significant shifts in leadership across the affiliate, performance marketing, and influencer sectors, with new appointments and promotions driving growth and innovation. Here are the key highlights from this month’s industry moves:
Frances Ralston-Good Exits EssenceMediacom
Frances Ralston-Good has left her position as Global COO at EssenceMediacom amid Group M's ongoing restructuring. Having joined in 2019 and appointed COO in 2023, her departure marks a pivotal leadership change at a major global agency. A successor has not yet been named.
Katherine Paterson Rejoins B&Q as Marketing Director
Katherine Paterson has returned to B&Q as Marketing Director, 12 years after her first tenure with the company. With senior roles at ASDA, Mars, Hobbycraft, and Jollyes, Paterson will focus on driving customer engagement across both physical and digital channels.
DoubleVerify Expands Leadership Team
DoubleVerify has bolstered its senior leadership across EMEA and global operations. Carl Kisseih has been appointed Lead Enterprise Sales Director, Owen Boyne joins as Enterprise Sales Director, and Chris Mort takes on the role of Global Client Partner. These hires aim to strengthen the company’s reach and service offering.
Dan Cohen Joins Affinity as Vice President
Dan Cohen has joined Affinity as Vice President, Publisher Alliances. With over 20 years of performance marketing experience, Cohen will lead growth and monetisation strategies for Affinity’s SitePlug and VEVE business units. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at Tradedoubler and Savings United.
Esme Rice Joins VaynerMedia EMEA
Esme Rice has joined VaynerMedia EMEA to lead its regional influencer marketing team. Previously with Mindshare and The Goat Agency, Rice brings extensive experience as a strategist and speaker in the influencer marketing space, enhancing VaynerMedia’s capabilities in the region.
Raphael Jims Appointed Affiliate Manager at Sky
Raphael Jims has been appointed Affiliate Manager at Sky, where he will spearhead the growth of Sky’s Mobile affiliate programme. Jims has previous affiliate experience with Neo Media World and Buyagift, positioning him well for his new role.
Finley McInerney Joins PayPal as Partnerships Manager
Finley McInerney has taken on the role of Partnerships Manager at PayPal. Formerly in the same role at Atolls, McInerney has also worked at hotukdeals and Awin. He was named Industry Rising Star at the 2024 Performance Marketing Awards and will play a key role in expanding PayPal’s partner relationships.
Nancy Mai Harnett Promoted at HubSpot
Nancy Mai Harnett has been promoted to Senior Manager, Head of Affiliate Marketing at HubSpot. She continues to lead the company’s affiliate programme and is eager to further develop the team’s capabilities and impact in this new role.
Rakuten Advertising Sees Multiple Movements
Rakuten Advertising has seen a wave of internal promotions and new hires this month. Notably, Abby Cerek has been promoted to Marketing Manager, North America; Derek Burton appointed VP, Financial Operations; Goncalo Pinto named Senior Manager, Affiliate Client Services; Joel Raven becoming Senior Manager, Advanced Analytics; and Susan Schwartz stepping into the role of Head of Global Client Services.
