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BBC Worldwide VP Tom Bowman departing to join ad tech startup Intelligent Optimisations

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By Rebecca Stewart | Trends Editor

February 9, 2016 | 3 min read

BBC Worldwide’s senior vice-president of revenue development and operations Tom Bowman is to leave the broadcaster to head-up ad tech startup Intelligent Optimisations (IO), The Drum can reveal.

Tom Bowman to depart BBC

Tom Bowman to depart BBC

Bowman (pictured) will take up his new role on 22 February, with Anne Goodman, vice-president global sales marketing and enablement at BBC Advertising, overseeing his responsibilities in the immediate aftermath of his departure. The broadcaster also informed The Drum that the search the search for a more permanent successor to Bowman is currently underway.

Carolyn Gibson, executive vice-president, BBC Advertising, told The Drum: "Tom has been instrumental in delivering our digital transformation and evolving our platforms, policies and operations during his eight years with the BBC.

"I am hugely appreciative of Tom's vision and support and we all wish him well on his exciting new role."

IO is a UK-based demand-side platform (DSP) that helps advertisers find audiences similar to their existing customer base, and claims its transparency and proprietary technology are a key point-of-difference in the market.

Commenting on his appointment, Bowman added: “I’m delighted with the opportunity to drive the future of advertising with IO.

"I look forward to furthering the company’s shared vision for transparency, efficiency and flexibility to make IO universally recognised as the leading global solution for programmatic ad buying.”

IO works with both media agencies as well as directly with advertisers, and the appointment of such a high profile personality as chief executive is likely to distinguish it from competitors in what is becoming an increasingly competitive ad tech landscape - both in terms of potential clients, as well as funding parties.

Speaking with The Drum, Ben Humphry, IO’s chief commercial officer, said: “We offer prospecting for advertisers, and we’re much less of a black box for advertisers compared to your traditional DSP.

“Our tech is our own, unlike most of the people we compete with, as we’ve built it from scratch ourselves. So we’re not just a mish-mash of other people’s tech.”

A press release announcing Bowman's departure from BBC Worldwide, also describes the ad tech outfit's desire to expand its footprint across EMEA, APAC and the Americas.

Bowman's arrival at IO also comes amid a host of other appointments, with industry veterans Melina Gisler joining as director of commercial product, and Adrian Degutis joining as sales director, alongside the appointment of Emily Hanson as vice-president of marketing.

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