This week’s people moves include Polymarket, Publicis Groupe, Global TV Experts, WPP Media and more.
Polymarket has reportedly sacked its chief marketing officer, Matthew Modabber.
According to the New York Post, Modabber was fired over a string of incidents, which sparked concern among the company’s investors.
Among the incidents included allegedly building a fake website to promote staged videos of consumers pocketing from dubious trades – a scandal the Wall Street Journal exposed.
The sham marketing scheme triggered an investigation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commision, which is still ongoing and no decision has been made.
Modabber took on the CMO role in January 2024 and was a close ally of chief executive Shayne Coplan. According to his LinkedIn profile, Modabber was employee number 11 at Polymarket.
Other notable moves
Global TV Experts: Ex-Virgin Media joins
Maddie Minty has been hired as Global TV Experts new international growth manager.
Previously at Virgin Media, Minty brings a decade of experience in roles focused on driving growth and sales.
In her new role, Minty will partner with prospective clients and businesses globally to demonstrate how TV advertising can drive growth ambitions.
She will focus on helping companies improve brand awareness, reduce acquisition costs, and refine growth strategies across igaming, e-commerce, and travel.
WPP Media: Aleks Polubinski as partnerships director
Aleks Polubinski has joined WPP Media as its director of strategic partnerships, data and technology.
Polubinski has over 10 years of experience working within advertising, predominantly adtech, with previous positions at LiveRamp, Equativ and Audiences.
He wrote on Linkedin: During my time within adtech, I’ve learnt how much great advertising depends on data and signals behind it. […] I knew this was the exciting space that I wanted to keep growing in and contribute to.”
Publicis Groupe: Marcel gets new CEO and CSO
Publicis Groupe has appointed Scott Hagedorn as chief executive and Sam Levine Archer as chief strategy officer of Marcel, the holding company’s agentic activation platform.
In these newly created roles, Hagedorn and Archer will lead the expansion of Marcel and its portfolio of growth solutions.
The pair, who have played a central role in developing Publicis’ data and AI capabilities, will be responsible for expanding Marcel’s offering to include influencer and creator marketing, sports and culture, content intelligence and AEO and GEO.
NBCU: Rachel Saffian Gould joins as VP
NBCU Advertising and Partnerships has hired Rachel Saffian Gould as vice president, strategic communications and thought leadership.
Gould joins after eight years with Comcast Advertising and Freewheel.
She will report to Caitlin Galo.
Jellyfish: Juliana Jackson promoted
Jellyfish has promoted Juliana Jackson to senior director, data science and consulting, EMEA.
In her new role, Jackson will lead work that helps brands use data and AI to inform business decisions, strengthen marketing strategies, and address complex commercial challenges.
M&C Saatchi: Tom Firth is now CEO
M&C Saatchi Group UK has promoted Tom Firth to chief executive of its UK creative agency.
Firth joined the group as a graduate and was most recently group chief client partner.
He will lead the shop’s strategic direction, creative output, commercial performance, talent and leadership team.
Firth will also work across the group’s wider business to deliver integrated solutions spanning creativity, consulting, media, PR, sport and entertainment, production and data.
