ITV Hires Rhys McLachlan As Director Of Advanced Advertising

ITV has named Amobee’s Rhys McLachlan as its new director of advanced advertising, a leading role in the development of the broadcaster’s commercial digital strategy.

McLachlan will work alongside key stakeholders within the commercial, technology, data, ITV Hub and platform teams, with responsibility for delivering ITV’s advanced advertising capabilities.

In particular, this will include the development of ITV’s new programmatic TV platform, Planet V, which is powered by Amobee technology in an exclusive UK and Ireland licensing agreement, which was announced last year.

McLachlan was previously SVP of global broadcaster strategy at Amobee, a role he had held since August 2018 following the company’s aquisition of TV adtech firm Videology – where McLachlan had been head of global TV strategy.

Prior to this, he was head of futures at MediaCom UK.

“ITV has been an ever-present beacon throughout the entirety of my career and I’m delighted to join at such a pivotal time in its transformation,” McLachlan said.

“ITV’s roadmap represents some of the most rigorous analysis on the framework for the future of TV and the undertakings required to maintain TV’s preeminent position in the media landscape. The execution of this roadmap will ensure that ITV continues to deliver unparalleled audience reach and engagement, powered by the most premium content, distributed over a myriad of devices, which will in turn continue to drive the greatest value for advertising partners.”

He will report into managing director for commercial Kelly Williams, who added that McLachlan arrives with “considerable experience” in addressable TV and was a “natural choice” for the job.

Last year ITV said Planet V will give advertisers and agencies control over the purchasing of their campaigns across ITV’s VOD service, the ITV Hub, allowing them to optimise and monitor campaigns in real time. The platform will also help build audiences with ITV’s first party data which can be blended with advertiser data.

Planet V was originally due to launch externally in February this year following a testing period. However, while ITV has confirmed that the platform is live and taking bookings, its ‘concierge period’ has been extended. It will therefore launch sometime in the coming months. Mediatel