Cheil UK is gunning for a greater share of online ad budgets by creating the role of digital strategy director, handing the role to former Geometry Global head of planning David Bedford.
Bedford is joining the agency following a two-year spell as a consultant, and will be responsible for leading the strategic output and the future direction of Cheil’s digital platform business.
One of his main roles will be setting the future direction for the Samsung online loyalty platform and the brand’s digital retail strategy across the UK and Europe.
Bedford will also sit on the Cheil board’s digital leadership group, providing direction to internal teams as well as building strong client relationships.
He started his career at Positive Thinking in the late Nineties, then went freelance before taking up the role at Geometry Global in 2010, where he stayed for over six years. He then had a ten-month spell at Gyro before going freelance once more, most recently at Lida on Costa Coffee and Experian, and at Wunderman on BT and Shell.
Bedford will report to Cheil UK head of strategic services David Coombs, who said: “With David’s deep rooted strategic background and consultative approach, we are thrilled he is joining us to drive our already advanced digital offering to the next level.”
Cheil was set up in 1973 as a subsidiary of Samsung Group and has, unsurprisingly, held the Samsung business ever since. Its other clients include Adidas, Coca-Cola, GE, General Motors, Lego, Microsoft, Nestlé , and Shell.
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