IAB overhaul: Nine’s Pedestrian Group CEO Matt Rowley returns to IAB chair, Carsales’ Vanya Mariani new deputy, Yahoo’s Paul Sigaloff exits as regulatory, measurement heat rises
Australia’s peak digital advertising body, the IAB, has finalised a widespread reshuffle of its board, installing Matt Rowley as its new chair and Carsales Commercial director Vanya Mariani appointed deputy. Yahoo APAC boss Paul Sigaloff is replaced by regional platforms director, John McNerney - there's still no official word on whether Sigaloff remains with the private equity-owned firm after widespread layoffs two weeks ago.
The IAB has confirmed Nine-owned Pedestrian Group boss Matt Rowley was voted in at a board meet last week as its new chair as the mystery around the tenure of Yahoo’s APAC CEO Paul Sigaloff continues.
All sides are staying officially quiet on Sigaloff’s position although the appointment of the company’s APAC head of Platforms, John McNerney, to the IAB board to replace Sigaloff suggests widespread industry rumblings of his exit may have merit. Sigaloff did not respond to Mi3 before publishing.
The IAB board has undergone a material overhaul in the latest announcements – member company’s pay circa $100k for an IAB board seat – with Rowley returning to the chair’s role, Vanya Mariani appointed Deputy Chair and Head of Google-owned YouTube Caroline Oates replacing Google’s long-standing IAB board representative Rhys Williams.
Yahoo’s APAC Senior Director for Platforms, John McNerney, is another new face replacing Sigaloff and Seven West Media’s Director of Audience Intelligence, Andrew Brain replaces his colleague and outgoing chair, Nicole Bence, who leaves the broadcaster to join Nova Entertainment, which is an IAB member but not at board tier.
Other new board roles include The Guardian’s Commercial Director Mason Rook, News Corp’s Director Commercial Data, Video and Product, Paul Blackburn and REA Group’s GM, Audience & Marketing, Sarah Myers.
The new line-up faces a loaded agenda between ongoing ACCC inquiries into Digital Platforms, the just released sweeping reforms to privacy law by the Federal Attorney General and an imminent rollout of a new digital audience measurement system with Ipsos which will now compete with Nielsen, which was dropped as the IAB-endorsed provider two years ago.
“2023 is shaping up as a milestone year for our industry and I’m delighted to have such a robust and representative Board to support our work,” IAB CEO Gai Le Roy said. “With more than 175 media, ad tech and marketing member organisations, IAB Australia is well placed to ensure we continue to support the digital advertising ecosystem.”
