Social advertising firm Media6 has hired former Google executive Tom Phillips to take over for current CEO Joe Doran, who will stay on as an adviser.
Media6°’s thing: “connect a brand’s existing customers with user segments composed entirely of consumers who are interwoven via the social graph”. It’s all algorithm stuff, and Phillips comes from Google’s search and analytics team. He also worked on the DoubleClick integration.
Doran will remain to handle some new business and is also still on the company’s board. Intererstingly, he leaves the company after only a year, and hadn’t been part of the original start-up team (though the company Web site lists him as a founder).
The company has done well for itself given the ruthless nature of what we’ll call the social advertising realm. With clients like Havas, Publicis, iCrossing and (maybe) ZenithOptimedia, they’re in need of a leader who not only understands the space but who will also go toe to toe with competitors. Not saying Doran didn’t, but that’s what’s necessary to make it in this space. Keep in mind that Doran has quite a resume — nine years at Misrosoft doing very senior level stuff (chief of staff at MSN, GM of digital advertising).
Another figure to watch: Andrew Pancer, the company’s COO. He was VP of digital development at the New York Times Co., before which he was COO of About.com. Case in point: with Phillips at the helm, Media6° is stacked.