Digital Marketing Technology Veteran Tapped to Run AOL’s Global Platform & Programmatic Businesses
NEW YORK – AOL Inc. (NYSE:AOL) announced that Bob Lord is joining the company as CEO of AOL Networks, effective August 1. Lord most recently was Global CEO of Razorfish and CEO of Publicis Groupe’s Digital Technologies Division.
“This is a particularly exciting time to be joining AOL Networks”
Lord will oversee all aspects of AOL Networks, AOL’s flagship technology stack that services more than 22,000 publishersand 4,000 advertiser and agency clients. Lord will be based in New York City, report to AOL Chairman and CEO, Tim Armstrong, and be a member of the AOL corporate leadership team.
“Bob is clearly one of the most impressive executives in our industry,” said Armstrong. “He’s been a digital marketing and technology leader for nearly two decades and has worked with some of the world’s most renowned agencies and brands throughout his career. He has a proven track record of driving innovation within an organization. I know Bob will bring the same drive and energy to AOL Networks and accelerate growth in the business. His technology background will be pivotal as AOL continues its mission to simplify digital advertising at scale across platforms, screens and formats.”
“This is a particularly exciting time to be joining AOL Networks,” said Lord. “Today’s advertisers and publishers want premium solutions that can be put to work simply, seamlessly and at scale. AOL Networks is both leading and innovating in this space. I look forward to working closely with Tim, the AOL Networks executive team and the marketing community to continue growing the business and providing meaningful solutions to marketers and agencies.”
“In my position at Razorfish, I got a front row look at the competitive advantage of the AOL Network technology and the progress the business has made over the past couple of years. I also see an opportunity to take it to the next level delivering effective premium solutions to our publisher and advertiser partners,” Lord said.
Lord has been at the epicenter of the convergence of advertising strategy and technology innovation throughout his career. He has been at Razorfish since 2000, prior to Publicis’ acquisition in 2009. Most recently, he has also been CEO of the company’s Digital Technologies Division, which includes Razorfish, the DigitasLBi network and Denuo. In addition to his oversight of a 7,500-person organization, he was responsible for driving the agencies’ digital product offerings, including Fluent and CRM365. He recently published the book Converge, which calls on brands to embrace technology-driven marketing ecosystems and thrive within them.
Lord has held various leadership roles at Razorfish including, COO, President of the East region and the leader of VivaKi’s digital assets and Digital Transformation Team, a cross-agency group charged with developing a strategy to accelerate digital capabilities for Publicis Groupe. Lord sits on the board of directors for the Ad Council and the IAB, the Advisory Board of the Nantucket project and is an active member of TED. He holds a MBA from Harvard University and an engineering degree (BS) from Syracuse University.
You can learn more about AOL Networks at http://www.aolnetworks.com/.
About AOL Networks
AOL Networks enables the world’s top marketers and media brands to reach consumers across desktop, mobile, tablet and connected TVs with impact through premium experiences, programmatic buying and performance driven campaigns. It is the global partner of choice for leading publishers, advertisers and agencies seeking to maximize the value of their online brands. AOL Networks brands include Advertising.com, The AOL On Network, Be On, ADTECH and Pictela.
About AOL
AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a brand company, committed to continuously innovating, growing, and investing in brands and experiences that inform, entertain, and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.
