Brightroll

The Client

BrightRoll is a unified programmatic video advertising platform and a subsidiary of Yahoo!.

The Brief

Brightroll’s CEO and Global SVP retained round8 to secure them a new Managing Director, Europe.

Their US-based leadership team was eager to get full visibility on Brightroll’s actual and perceived position in-market in the UK. To this end, round8’s search was nonlinear.

We mapped the UK media market at Media Director, Digital Director, Country Director and MD-level.

Approach

Our team leveraged their experience and networks in all relevant corners of the Luma Scape – (i.e. media agencies, media owners, platform players, networks, etc)

In looking to find the best-possible person, we prospected “down” as well as “up” in terms of the candidate’s level. We looked at who had moved from corporate to smaller media firm and/or ad tech companies (and hence had experience running start-ups or smaller operations), and we scoped out senior players within the major media operators.

Results

66 executives were screened and profiled. 19 were requested for interview by the client. Brightroll secured their 1st choice candidate, whilst 2 “reserve options” were held in process until commercials had been brokered with the successful candidate via round8.

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Verbatim Feedback

Quotes received from Brightroll's Global SVP at the end of the project.

round8’s structure/approach towards the search – capacity of round8 team to “get” the brief – interpreting Brightroll’s priorities/drivers at the outset and delivering to brief.

“

“Great – couldn’t be happier.” “Feels like we have the same sensibilities/See the world the same way” “This brief was something of a moving target (as the video landscape changed through the search and we looked to refine our focus and products) You guys were always with us” “Super-responsive and got the result.” “I couldn’t be more satisfied with how it has turned out and what you’ve done for us.”

Capacity of r8 team to provide useful insight/consultation around options/routes, based on their grasp of the media market – specifically digital and other platforms.

“

“Whole team has a very good grasp of the market place. Understand what’s going on and who the key players are. That really shone out in the search.”

Confidence in how comprehensive round8s search of the media market was, and the rationale employed in presenting the candidates we did.

“

“Couldn’t have been more comprehensive.” You screened what – 50, 60 people? We saw nearly 20. You gave us the opportunity to meet some great people and learn a lot about the European landscape first-hand. In fact that was a huge benefit of agreeing to a search like this. You put us in front of some great people.”

“The right players.”

“Really felt like we gained a thorough education with you help on this hire”

“A number of candidates mentioned how comprehensive your briefing of them”

How well did round8 adapt to Brightroll’s changes of emphasis around people/fit/profile as the project progressed?

“

“Couldn’t be happier in this regard” “You really adapted to all the changes and I know it was a journey” “You also ultimately fitted the original brief.” “What impressed me was that as the programmatic piece changed (and we made different demands around the brief) you listened to us, and heard out our fluctuations. You didn’t overreact when these bumps came up. You listened and, then you let things settle – so you didn’t just swing.” “That helped us stick to brief but also change when we felt we needed to (without it hijacking the process)”

Delivering rich feedback on candidates to provide accurate insight pre-meeting and post-meetings that helped Brightroll gain insight that helped Charlie to flex the way he wanted in meetings to work to Brightroll’s agenda?

“

“This was invaluable. Particularly where we asked you to keep people on the boil for us. Think you did a super job. Think things were pace really well”

Brightroll successfully sold to Yahoo in December 2014 for $640 million

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