Arena Media, has appointed Mark Holden to the inaugural role of Head of Futures. Holden joins from PHD London, where he was a Digital Strategist.
In his new position, Holden will work closely with Justin Gibbons, Arena Media Creative Director, across the agency client roster, which includes long term partners ESPN, Dominos, Thomas Cook and Eurostar, as well as recent new wins Ricola and ZSL London Zoo.
At PHD London, Holden’s role spanned brands such as Sainsbury’s, McCain and Warner Brothers. Working closely with clients, communication planning teams and digital delivery experts in the agency, Holden developed digital best practice, ensuring online activities were at the heart of every campaign plan. He focused on delivering effective, innovative, creative digital campaigns.
Holden joined PHD London from Mindshare, where his six-year tenure involved roles as Invention Business Director, on Pepsico, Nestlè, HSBC Group, American Express and ITV, and digital planning and buying as part of a ‘beta’ team for the launch of Mindshare Invention. He was responsible for planning and implementing innovative campaigns for clients such as Diesel as well as digital strategy consultation for ITV.com. Holden also helped set up Mindshare’s social media team.
Justin Gibbons, Creative Director at Arena Media, commented: “Change is a serious business now and Mark’s appointment shows that we are willing to put our money where our mouth is and invest in the talent to meet our ambition. Holden is a stand-out strategist and his role as Head of Futures will be central to our Now and Next positioning – the thread that runs through Arena Media.”
Holden added: “I’m happiest when I can help deliver well-crafted idea-driven campaigns for the digital age that actually work. At Arena Media I will be able to further explore the link between technology and human behavior, creating effective work throughout their diverse client base.”
