Nine has announced the appointment of Esther Carlsen as commercial director of digital audio, with a focus on the growth of Nine’s digital audio streaming business.
Carlsen, one of Australia’s most experienced Ad tech and digital executives, will be responsible for Nine’s digital audio strategy, building the digital capability of Nine’s Total audio team and leading the digital audio conversation with major agencies and clients. She will report to Ashley Earnshaw, director of sales – total audio.
Carlsen will work alongside Ben Campbell (director – advertising and data products) and Jordan King (director – programmatic and digital sales) to ensure that Nine has the most advanced streaming, digital and data products and the most advanced programmatic audio offering in the market, with her role a critical part of Nine’s Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE).
Her role will see her take leadership on strategic initiatives such as the evolution of measurement and Total audio trading.
Having worked in the digital markets for over two decades – including 10 years in programmatic – Carlsen has held numerous senior leadership positions with publishers, in data, global agency groups and independent agency businesses. She was most recently general manager of Bench Media, a leading, independent programmatic marketing provider in Australia.
Michael Stephenson, Nine’s chief sales officer, said: “I couldn’t be happier to welcome Esther home to Nine. As consumers increasingly consume our live and local content via connected devices and our 1st party data asset continues to grow, the opportunities for brands are going to be massive. Esther has an open brief to define the future of Total audio.”
Beginning her career in ad sales at ninemsn, Carlsen has held roles including as managing director of Acxiom and LiveRamp, and was managing director of global programmatic media and technology platform Xaxis.
Her appointment comes a day after Nine announced Nick Young will join as commercial director – digital, working alongside Richard Hunwick (director of sales – total television), Jo Clasby (director of sales – total publishing) and Ashley Earnshaw (director of sales – total audio), giving Nine the most senior commercial firepower in Australian media.
See also: Nick Young returns to Nine as head of digital sales after radio stint at Nova
Carlsen said: “Given the strength of Nine’s radio assets and their digital footprint, I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the team at this time.
“With digital transformation well and truly underway for the radio industry, the growth opportunities for the business as we start to harness the power of programmatic are endless. I’m looking forward to joining Nine’s impressive team and can’t wait to get started,” she added.
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Top image: Esther Carlsen