IAB UK enhances its retail media, creator & TV+ expertise with dedicated new roles

With retail media, creator marketing and TV+ all increasingly attractive options for advertisers, we have appointed channel-specific experts to develop the standards needed to underpin long-term growth and to enhance the buy-side’s understanding of how to leverage each within a content-centric media landscape.

Both Olivia McCullagh (Retail Media Lead) and Connie Hawker (TV+ and Creators Lead) are focused on bringing IAB UK members together across their respective fields to facilitate collaboration, develop shared frameworks and define best practice - all with the aim of helping advertisers to navigate their options and implement effective strategies.

The appointments reflect a strategic shift towards investing in the expertise to help shape the evolution of these rapidly maturing channels, as well as equipping its members across the industry with insight to maximise the opportunities available and prepare their businesses for the future.

McCullagh joins us from Tesco Media & Insight Platform, where she was most recently Senior Client Partner on the Mondelēz UK account. Commenting on her new role, she says: “It’s no secret that retail media is one of the most exciting areas of growth for advertisers, with the digital retail media market in the UK set to hit £8.6bn by 2030. Becoming IAB UK’s Retail Media Lead puts me right at the heart of the sector and I’m so excited to work with members - from Amazon to Uber to ASOS - to evolve what retail media has to offer.”

Meanwhile, Hawker most recently led the IAB’s Membership team - heading up a number of IAB Communities  - giving her a unique perspective on where creator marketing and TV+ currently sit within the marketing mix and how to maximise their potential. She says: "Engaging, quality content is the future of marketing and that’s something that both TV+ channels and creators bring to the table in abundance. The creative opportunities for advertisers in both areas are huge, but maximising them comes down to us developing the frameworks, standards and actional insight that will facilitate advertisers’ long-term investment.”  

In another significant appointment, we have recently hired Alex Kozloff in the newly created role of Director of Industry Relations. Kozloff is responsible for building and enhancing influential partnerships with other industry bodies – both in the UK and internationally - with the aim of shaping cross-industry initiatives that ensure digital advertising continues to grow responsibly. She brings with her a wealth of experience from across the industry, including as SVP of Member Engagement at the 4As, as well as eight years spent at IAB UK between 2010 and 2018, most recently as Chief Operating Officer.  

Kozloff, Hawker and McCullagh have all started in their new roles. Hawker and McCullagh report into James Chandler, Chief Strategy Officer, while Kozloff reports into Jon Mew, CEO.