Leading Questions with Rob Linton – MiQ
Leading Questions
MiQ’s chief revenue officer for the UK, Rob Linton, is in the hot seat for our probing and quick-fire Leading Questions.
Earlier this year, Rob Linton was promoted to chief revenue officer at MiQ
Linton steps into the role after 13 years at MiQ, where he began as a trader in Manchester and most recently served as managing director, regions. His new role encompasses all UK sales operations, as Linton looks to drive growth across agency groups, independents, and brands. Central to the role is accelerating the integration of Sigma, MiQ’s AI-driven advertising platform, launched last June.
He speaks about using AI to bring together data, channels, and insights into a single, connected view; empowering his team; and about why Frank Lampard is underappreciated.
Leadership
What principles guide your leadership approach?
I’ve always believed in leading by example. For me, that means being present with the team, always making time for clients, and staying close to the work itself. Believing in what we, as a team, are building and the outcomes we deliver for our clients.
A big part of this is investing in our people properly. That comes down to training, clear communication and helping individuals grow in their roles, so they feel confident in what they’re doing and the impact they’re having.
And then, it’s about creating an environment where people can make decisions themselves. You want teams that feel empowered and not reliant on one person for answers. That’s how you build something that scales.
How do you define success as a leader in today’s media landscape?
Success comes down to clarity and consistency, especially in today’s media ecosystem, which moves so quickly. If you’re clear on what you’re trying to achieve as a business, it becomes much easier to navigate that change.
In this environment, it’s also easy for things to become reactive. Strong leadership is about staying level-headed and aligned in these moments, so you can properly guide your team and empower them to operate in the same way.
Despite what people may think, a successful leader doesn’t need to have all the answers. What they do need is the ability to create the right conditions for their team to do their best work and deliver on the client’s expectations. That could look like giving a team member the space to lead a client conversation, trusting them to make a call on a campaign decision, or backing them to take ownership of a relationship. Those moments build confidence and capability far quicker than stepping in with all the answers.
Over time, that’s what creates a team that can operate independently and consistently deliver.
How do you personally stay ahead of industry disruption?
I actually think it’s easier than ever to stay informed of disruption. There’s so much information available now, especially with AI. We use it internally to bring together what’s happening across the industry in one place, so you can get a clear view in minutes rather than hours. That frees up time to focus on moving from insight to action, whether that’s refining audience strategy or identifying new growth opportunities for clients.
There’s no shortage of information out there. For me, the real skill is knowing what to act on, what to ignore, and having the confidence to move quickly when it matters. What helps with this is having a clear sense of purpose as a business. If you know what you’re trying to achieve, you’re much better placed to focus on the changes that actually matter and filter out the rest.
At MiQ, staying ahead means focusing on how we use AI to bring together data, channels and insights into a single, connected view. It’s how we help clients understand how different parts of their media mix work together and where the real opportunities for growth lie, rather than looking at each channel in isolation.
People and Culture
How do you inspire your teams when uncertainty is the norm?
Uncertainty is definitely part and parcel of working in the media industry.
I actually think it often goes hand in hand with opportunity, particularly when you’re working with ambitious teams and clients who want to move quickly. The pace of change is part of what makes the industry so interesting, so a big part of the job is helping teams lean into that rather than shy away from it.
Balancing the short-term wins – campaigns going live, results coming through – with the bigger, longer-term opportunities with clients is also key. Alongside this, incentives and recognition play an important role. Celebrating those quick wins keeps energy high and morale up. It’s also just as important to recognise the work that contributes to longer-term growth, even if the payoff isn’t immediate. Ensuring teams can always see the value in the bigger picture is crucial to keeping them motivated.
If you get that balance right, uncertainty can become much more of a driver than a blocker.
What’s your approach to developing future leaders within your organisation?
We put a lot of focus on developing talent at MiQ, and that starts with having the right support structures in place. We’ve got the dedicated resources and a strong global talent team that invest heavily in helping people grow within the business – which is something I feel very strongly about.
Programmes like our Future Leaders initiative are a big part of that. I was part of the first iteration myself when I started out in Manchester, and a lot of our senior team have come through it, so there’s a real sense of continuity in how we develop people and prepare them for leadership roles.
On a day-to-day level, it’s how we empower the team. For me, that means giving individuals the space to make decisions themselves without sharing how I would approach something first, whether that’s with clients, partners or internally. That’s how people build confidence and experience quickly, and it’s certainly something I appreciated when I first started out.
The combination of real day-to-day responsibility and structured development helps us build leaders from within.
AI, Innovation and Skills
How is AI changing the way you lead and make decisions?
AI has fundamentally changed how we operate day-to-day. One of the biggest shifts for me has been moving to an “AI-first” mindset. When approaching any task, we ask how we can make it more effective using AI.
We’ve built that into the business through tools like MiQ Home, our internal AI-powered information portal. It brings together everything from industry updates to client insights, and it’s become a go-to for things like preparing for meetings or responding to briefs. We even joke internally that if you ask a question that could’ve been answered on MiQ Home, you should put a pound in the box.
What’s interesting is how quickly it has been picked up. When you introduce any new way of working, there’s usually a need to bring people along. But with AI, the benefits are so immediate that adoption has happened much more naturally. Teams can see how it helps them work smarter and more efficiently.
I’m seeing AI having a big impact on all aspects of the business, whether it’s in the elevated outputs we can deliver for clients or in how quickly and confidently teams can make decisions.
What skills will define successful media leaders in the next decade?
AI and automation will underpin so much of the day-to-day that they’ll quickly become table stakes. The leaders who stand out will be those who know how to use those tools effectively to free up time for more strategic thinking, for themselves and their teams alike.
At the same time, that shift creates a different challenge. With AI becoming more widely used, there’s a real risk that everything will start to look and feel the same. Campaign planning and responses to briefs risk becoming increasingly homogenised due to AI use, which will become more apparent as the years go on.
That’s where originality becomes critical. The ability to think differently and challenge assumptions, and overall, bring a clear point of view to the table, is what will set leaders apart.
And that’s not to say you need to choose between AI and human input. The most successful leaders will use AI to handle the heavy lifting, and then apply their own judgment and creativity to drive something genuinely distinctive.
What’s your advice for aspiring media leaders?
Enjoy it. It’s a brilliant industry to be part of, even if most of us didn’t necessarily set out to work in it. Interestingly, a lot of people I’ve worked with – myself included – have fallen into adtech in one way or another. If you stay curious, get stuck in and take the opportunities in front of you, it really is such a rewarding career.
I’d also say don’t worry too much about having everything mapped out early on. Focus on learning, building experience and working with good people. The rest tends to follow.
The Quick-fire Round
Which book would you make required reading for all media leaders?
‘Democracy in America’ by Alexis de Tocqueville. A fascinating insight into how the country with the world’s largest media market was formed.
Which leader from TV, film, or literature most inspires you?
Frank Lampard. Pure hard work and dedication, and the results speak for themselves. I think he’s quite underappreciated.
What’s your go-to source for inspiration when you need it — work or otherwise?
It has to be my kids. They never fail to help me to switch off and get a bit of perspective outside of work.
Media lunch or media breakfast meeting, and why?
I’d go for a quick breakfast. More efficient and the perfect way to start the day off – hopefully with some inspiring conversation.
Which media leader would you like to answer Leading Questions next?
Chris Turner, head of programmatic services UK at EssenceMediacom.
Leading Questions is published by The Media Leader every Friday.