Tesco hires former Amazon and Pinterest execs to grow retail media offer

1st May 2024

Georgia Wright

Tesco Media & Insight Platform has unveiled "two key strategic appointments to support burgeoning demand from agencies for the delivery of retail media campaigns".

Appointments Grocery

Tesco has made two big hires from Amazon and Pinterest to boost its retail media offer.

Amazon head of UK agency development Steve Edwards will join the Tesco Media and Insight team in the newly established position of head of agency.

The group said he will draw on this experience “to develop and cement partnerships with agencies” looking to harness the power of retail media to deliver value for its clients.

In his nine years at Amazon, Edwards has fulfilled a variety of other key roles including global head of agency planning and insight and head of emerging ad products.

Meanwhile, Russell Franklin will also join the team as head of client business development, with a remit to expand Tesco Media among a broader range of clients, including non-endemic advertisers.

He joins from Pinterest where he was most recently a lead client partner for emerging clients. Having also held positions at Google and Zenith, the group said Russell “brings a wealth of digital experience with him”.

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Both new hires will report to Tesco Media & Insight Platform client development director Nick Ashley.

Ashley said: “Retail media is no longer solely a bottom of funnel opportunity; increasingly, it is playing a broader role across the full marketing funnel for a wider range of clients.

“With agencies rapidly enhancing their capabilities in this area, and clients outside of FMCG increasingly aware of the opportunities retail media presents, now is the right time for us to extend the team further. To attract senior digital leaders of the calibre of Steve and Russell is a sure sign that Tesco sits firmly at the heart of the current media landscape.”

Edwards added: “I am delighted to be joining Tesco Media & Insight Platform at such an exciting point in its development, with more and more agencies exploring the value retail media can deliver for both brands and customers. Indeed, the wealth of options available within retail media is enabling agencies to truly showcase their creativity and deliver measurable value for their clients.”

Franklin added: “Interest in retail media continues to grow exponentially, not least among non-endemic advertisers – an area which represents a huge opportunity for Tesco Media & Insight Platform.

“I look forward to playing my part in supporting those businesses in harnessing the power of retail media to support their commercial ambitions.”

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Appointments Grocery