IAB UK reshuffles board to put mobile first
The news follows the announcement earlier this year that the IAB will no longer be running a separate mobile conference, choosing instead to role mobile up into its flagship Engage event.
“We have taken the decision to merge the IAB Board and the Mobile Board after much discussion with our members,” said Guy Phillipson, CEO of IAB UK. “We feel it’s the right time to do this with mobile ad spend now accounting for nearly one quarter of digital advertising. Mobile has been a core focus for us for a while now but making it central to everything we do is a significant move for the IAB and reflects mobile’s mainstream status in the lives of UK consumers.”
The transition comes at a pivotal moment in UK media. A recent study showed that consumers spend an average of just 1hr 16 minutes per day on desktop, compared with 1hr 37 minutes per day on smartphones and desktops. For the last six years, both board groups have played a key role in setting the strategy and direction of the IAB across online and mobile. The board merger reflects the growing importance of mobile across the digital landscape.
Members of the newly merged IAB Board include publishers such as Bauer, Mail Online, FT, and Telegraph, as well as the likes of Facebook, Microsoft, and Google. The group will meet every six weeks to tackle key industry issues as well as work towards their annual objectives.
