VisualDNA appoints new sales director of marketing services

Audience insights company VisualDNA has appointed Jon Hewson as its new sales director of marketing services.

Hewson joins the Shoreditch-based start-up – which has seen staff numbers grow from 50 to 150 in the last year – from US technology company Rovi, where he was responsible for the company’s EMEA advertising division.

VisualDNA “combines big data and psychology” to better understand audiences and shares that data with publishers and advertisers. It is famed for its online personality tests which help build audience profiles.

In his new role, Hewson will be tasked with mapping and strengthening the company’s sales infrastructure, as well as creating new partnerships and opportunities.

Commenting on the move, Hewson said: “I’m excited about joining such an intelligent, innovative and forward-thinking company that’s gaining great momentum at home and abroad. At its core, VisualDNA believes understanding people is key to fairer and more genuine interactions across the board, in business, retail, finance and in society.

“Likewise, the marketing services division is doing great things to put customers’ personalities at the centre of the retail journey. It makes unarguable business sense, for both customer and brand, to look beyond the usual when, what and where data and engage people on the basis of who they are and why they do what they do.”