Vudoo, an advertising commerce technology company, has named Ben Buckley to its board and appointed Sarah Lawson Johnston as managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Buckley has significant experience in the media, technology and consumer marketing sectors and has held senior roles, including marketing director at Nike, executive director of content partnerships at Foxtel, managing director at ASX-listed technology-enabled services company COSOL, COO of the Australian Football League, CEO of Football Federation Australia and chair of the North Melbourne Football Club. He will provide strategic guidance and oversight to help navigate Vudoo’s rapid growth as the company expands internationally.
He will contribute product development insights to ensure Vudoo, the content commerce and in-stream checkout pioneer, remains a category leader in commerce media.
“We are thrilled to have Ben on Vudoo’s board. He’s a perfect fit as we continue to scale the company as he brings a wealth of experience from his roles in business and sport. We look forward to the exciting opportunities his expertise will bring to the table,” said Vudoo CEO and founder Nick Morgan. “Ben will play a pivotal role in Vudoo’s success and his counsel will be invaluable as we continue to help brands, publishers and agencies monetise static online, mobile and web content.”
Buckley said he was impressed with Vudoo’s growth, international expansion trajectory and market-leading product offerings.
“Having recently planted their flag in the Americas, Vudoo continues to grow from strength to strength, and Nick and team have been doing a fantastic job. I look forward to contributing to Vudoo’s success and helping it expand further. Vudoo’s solutions are second to none and I’m proud to represent a locally born company kicking goals globally,” said Buckley.
Lawson Johnston joins Vudoo with 30 years of experience in the advertising technology industry. Her leadership will be fundamental to the continued growth of Vudoo’s presence in EMEA.
Having most recently served as Covatic’s chief revenue officer, Lawson Johnston was part of the team that launched the company’s privacy-centric audience targeting solution in 2018. Prior to Covatic, she was EVP, managing director of Agency Partnerships for EMEA at enterprise media platform Hudson MX. She also spent over 20 years at advertising software provider Mediaocean, latterly serving as managing director for Europe.
“We are delighted to welcome Sarah to Vudoo,” said Morgan. “Her wealth of experience and deep expertise in the advertising technology sector will be invaluable as Vudoo seeks to continue on its trajectory. The region is a crucial growth sector for Vudoo, particularly as commerce media rapidly reshapes how brands engage with consumers and their evolving demands.”
The appointment of Lawson Johnston anchors Vudoo’s global expansion, just a year after the company launched its product into the international market. It comes a few weeks after Vudoo named Autonic founder Drew Perry as its new Asia Pacific managing director, alongside an alliance with youth publisher Val Morgan Digital. In early September, Vudoo announced the appointment of ad tech industry veteran Raj Chauhan as President, Americas. In July, Vudoo unveiled a global partnership with IPG Mediabrands’ KINESSO Commerce to power a new, always-on commerce media capability, enabling content to be shoppable at any time on the open web.
Vudoo has established partnerships with publishers including News Corp, Scroll Media, Are Media and New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME). Vudoo’s other global clients include Forever New, S&P Global and Kohler. Vudoo has facilitated executions in campaigns across brands like Hilton, Samsung, Moët & Chandon, Burberry, Dyson, Lexus, Hotel Clicquot and Sunday Riley.