Vijay Solanki exits IAB after less than two years
The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s chief executive, Vijay Solanki, is leaving the organisation after less than two years, Mumbrella can reveal.
Solanki joined the IAB in June 2016, replacing Alice Manners at the end of her three year contract.
Vijay Solanki joined IAB Australia in June 2016
In the interim, Gai Le Roy, director of research, will become CEO of the IAB.
Prior to joining the IAB, Solanki had been chief digital officer Southern Cross Austereo, a role which brought him to Australia in February 2015.
Before SCA, Solanki was digital innovation director with Philips in Amsterdam and previously worked with the UK’s Capital Radio, music recognition service Shazam and BlackBerry.
Solanki said he had enjoyed leading the growth of the IAB and was grateful to the team for their efforts.
“We’ve driven important initiatives together that have made a difference to the industry. I’m grateful to the IAB team, our members and to the Board but it’s time for a change and I’m looking forward to the next challenge,” Solanki said.
Newly appointed chairman of the IAB Australia Board, Cameron King, said Solanki had worked tirelessly to deliver a number of projects, including the launch of Digital Content Ratings.
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Vijay for his passion and commitment to helping us build a healthy, diverse and sustainable digital advertising industry,” King said.
IAB Australia, deputy chair, Libby Minogue, added: “Vijay has built a strong network of experts with the IAB Councils, who have built relevant standards, whitepapers and events. He leaves IAB Australia with stronger member engagement.”
The announcement follows Telstra’s exit from the IAB Board last month. Other members of the Board include News Corp, REA Group, Carsales, Google, Simpsons Solicitors, Fairfax Media, Nine, and Facebook.
Yahoo7, a joint venture between Oath and Seven, remains on the Board with Yahoo7’s former chief revenue officer and Oath managing director, Paul Sigaloff as the representative. Once the sale of Seven’s stake in Yahoo7 to Oath completes, Sigaloff will be the representative for Oath on the Board.
Mumbrella understands Board members pay $150,000 each year for their place.
Solanki’s departure also comes as disputes continue between major publisher and the IAB’s measurement partner, Nielsen, over methodology and the slow progression and roll out of its products.
Earlier this year, following issues with measurement related to Google AMP and https sites, Fairfax Media withdrew from Nielsen’s digital content ratings. Other publishers are understood to be in discussions over their involvement with Nielsen.
Publishers have expressed concerns about Nielsen’s decision to use Facebook’s video measurement, and contribute those audience views to total audience, as well as the methodology and disparity between unique audience numbers in digital ratings (monthly) versus digital content ratings.
The IAB Australia will venture to find a permanent replacement.
Every time I read about yet another person/company leaving the IAB –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTlVRUkwYRI
User ID not verified.
Appoint Gai to the role on an FT basis and stop dilly dallyIng around wasting more member resources. This should have happened two years ago. IAB = measurement and she is the market leader and a great operator.
User ID not verified.
One time digital measurement closed shop with a charter to protect publisher interests got too ambitious and diversified into a training and events provider which then lost relevance to its primary stakeholders and thus it’s reason for being.
User ID not verified.
Couldn’t agree more. Gai understands the membership as well as anyone in the industry, and would focus the IAB on measurement, where it should be.
User ID not verified.
It’s time to realise that the IAB in Aus is broken and needs to be fixed…. The IAB should be for the industry, by the industry. Not controlled by the people who have the deepest pockets wanting to push their own agendas. Fix or Fold.
User ID not verified.