1 October 2024
In February, RTL Group announced the decision to create an international advertising sales champion by combining RTL AdConnect, G+J iMS and the media division of smartclip. The leadership team organised a global “Meet and Greet” tour aimed at gathering all three companies together, explaining the rationale and vision of the merger in greater detail, answering any outstanding questions, and of course, enjoying some good old-fashioned, in-person entertainment.
Stéphane Coruble, the CEO of the new unit and Dr. Oliver Vesper, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and Deputy CEO of the new unit, travelled to every local market headquarters across Europe and the USA to personally answer questions and enjoy a celebratory drink.
They kicked off the tour in London, hosting over 40 colleagues, followed by Paris with more than 60 attendees. They stopped in Milano to host 50 attendees before meeting with over 40 colleagues in Stockholm. They ended the tour in New York City.
Each Meet and Greet followed a similar format. On the first day, after exploring host cities and mingling with old and new colleagues, attendees were welcomed by Stéphane, Oliver, and the Transformation Office led by Daniel Bischoff. After the introduction, the leadership team presented their joint vision and detailed the unit’s growth potential and next steps. Afterwards, the night really kicked off with food, drinks, and music against the stunning backdrops of each European city.
On day two, everyone had the chance to book exclusive one-on-one meetings with Stéphane or Oliver to ask any questions they might have. This opportunity gave employees insight into company strategy, as well as the rare opportunity to give their input or feedback on future plans and goals. The company motto “stronger together” was ever-present as the events placed an emphasis on personal attention and inclusion. Here at smartclip we are very much looking forward to the new organisation.
A big ‘thank you’ to all the local market organisers — too many to name — who put so much consideration into organising a welcoming and unifying experience for all.
Shira Leffel is the VP of Marketing & Product Education and is responsible for leading the central European marketing and product education department at smartclip. She has lived and worked in the United States, Canada, Israel, Mozambique, Brazil, and now Germany. Shira comes with extensive experience in marketing for B2B technology startups. She has built out marketing teams and strategies—her core expertise lies in content strategy, most notably inbound content marketing. Shira graduated Summa Cum Laude and First in Class with an M.A. from Tel Aviv University, and First Class Honours with a B.A. from the University of British Columbia.
Shira Leffel
VP Marketing & Product Education
