Influencer, the global influencer marketing agency, today announces the appointment of Stewart Easterbrook as its new Chairman.

Bringing over 20 years of experience across the media industry to this new role, Easterbrook will lead Influencer’s board in driving its mission of moving the marketing industry forward by humanising brands with creators.

Easterbrook joins Influencer with a proven track record in both leading and advising businesses across the marketing industry on successful growth strategies, helping them harness the power of data and technology to effectively reach audiences in the right places.

Since 2014, he has worked with a plethora of leading businesses within the media industry. His years of experience span programmatic, Out-of-Home, media agency leadership, and now influencer marketing, placing Stewart in a unique position to offer Influencer his unrivalled expertise from across the marketing mix.

His CV includes that of a chairman at MiQ, the global analytics technology and programmatic media specialist. During Stewart’s time at MiQ, the team successfully navigated through its start-up era in the UK and its later partnership with private equity group, Bridgepoint. It is now proudly one of the world's leaders in programmatic.

He also joined MediaLab Group in 2017 as Chairman and Strategic Advisor at a time when the direct marketing business was facing an uncertain future. Today, it is the UK’s largest independent media agency.

More recently, Stewart joined the board of independent global Out-of-Home (OOH) media agency, Talon, in 2023. During this period, the business celebrated several acquisitions and international growth in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Prior to his board roles, Easterbrook spent 17 years at Publicis Groupe including a five-year term as CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group UK. He later assumed the role of Executive Director of Digital Development, overseeing growth and innovation across SMG’s key European markets.

Stewart's career has been dictated by where audiences are engaging with brands the most. His ambition is to utilise his experience in growth to aid businesses driving the future of media and marketing by using data to inform decisions.

At a time when influencer marketing is increasingly being embedded within mainstream media strategies, Stewart has recognised Influencer as a driving force of change and influencer marketing as the next evolution in connecting brands with audiences effectively and authentically.

‍Ben Jeffries, CEO and Co-Founder, Influencer said: "With decades of experience leading global media companies through growth and transformation, Stewart is the perfect fit to chair Influencer's next chapter. Stewart's immediate understanding of our mission to humanise brands, empowers us to further elevate creators as the driving force behind creative and media. We're thrilled to have his support and guidance as we continue to accelerate Influencer's ambitious global growth plans."

‍Caspar Lee, Chief Vision Officer and Co-Founder, Influencer commented: “In a rapidly evolving influencer marketing landscape that increasingly prioritises data, we're thrilled to welcome Stewart to our team. As someone that started a career on YouTube as a creator back in 2010, it's incredible to see how far influencer marketing and the creator economy has evolved. Having Stewart join really proves how mainstream and sophisticated this form of marketing is becoming. His proven experience and expertise honed at the forefront of the advertising industry make him a fantastic addition to our leadership team.”

‍Stewart Easterbrook said of his new position: “Marketing is, and always will be, about a perfect marriage between a really motivating message and the right audiences. Throughout my career, I’ve seen businesses miss opportunities to do this well which is why I’ve always chosen to work with those that harness data and tech to better execute against opportunities and reach audiences. At Influencer, they are mastering the use of data and technology to serve audiences with precisely tailored and effective messages that actually influence. I’m confident we can become the best at understanding how to use a data-first approach to achieve that marriage and motivate in the age of content. Influencer is reshaping the industry and I’m thrilled to be joining the board at this exciting and pivotal time for the industry.”

Easterbrooks’s arrival coincides with Influencer’s expansion across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, including the recent announcement of Rabah Assaf, ex-TikTok, Dentsu & Group M, as Managing Director, MENA, to spearhead its growth in the region.