Mobile brand specialist Kargo launches in Australia with Robert Leach as general manager
Mobile brand advertising specialist Kargo is to open its doors in Australia, with its launch team unveiled today.
The US-founded company will see former BBC Worldwide executive Robert Leach take the helm as general manager. Peter Birch, managing director of 1st Screen, will be Kargo’s commercial director, while Rob Williams, also previously with BBC Worldwide, will be operations director.
Leach: Leading Kargo’s APAC launch
Kargo claims to be “invitation only” in which publishers and advertisers it works with, on what it says are only as premium content sites.
The Australian office – which is a prelude to a launch into Asia Pacific – joins Kargo’s offices in London, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Kargo employs around 250 people globally.
Leach will report to Kargo’s international GM Owen Hanks. Hanks said in a statement: “Many of the global publishers and top brands that Kargo works with in North America and the UK have encouraged us to continue our international expansion into the Asia Pacific region where there is a growing demand for quality mobile advertising.
“I’m confident that Robert, Peter and Rob are the right team.”
Among the brands working with Kargo are Unilever, P&G and L’Oreal, while publishers include Bauer, The New York Times and CBS Interactive.
Leach moved to Australia in 2006 as head of Multichannel Network’s digital division MCN Connect after previously working for British satellite broadcaster BSkyB, where he led the company’s commercial team, focusing on its interactive red button services.
Leach left MCN in 2011 and until late last year worked as director of strategy, business development and digital for BBC Worldwide.
Birch: Previously 1st Screen MD
Meanwhile, Birch joins the company from Mobile Embrace’s mobile marketing offering, 1st Screen, where he’s been since 2010. Before that, he was head of digital for Network Ten from 2007 to 2010, and before that was in the UK as head of interactive sales for the country’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV.
Williams: Led BBC’s direct-to-consumer digital offerings
Williams joined BBC Worldwide in 2013 as a commercial analyst, before becoming head of consumer digital, retail and wholesale in 2015.
The most recent Kargo reel:
FALL 2016 CREATIVE SHOWCASE from KARGO on Vimeo.
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