Kenny Lim
Jul 8, 2009

Microsoft to sell Singapore ads direct

SINGAPORE - Microsoft Advertising is pulling its advertising sales operations in-house, expanding its team to serve clients directly instead of through sales partners.

Microsoft to sell Singapore ads direct
The move marks the end of its partnership with dLive Media, a subsidiary of iHub Media. 

According to a statement, the direct sales and advertising operations team will integrate the existing local and multinational Microsoft Advertising teams in Singapore and will serve all Singapore-based advertisers, regardless of where the ads will finally run. 

The newly combined team will report to Richard Huggins (pictured), sales director of Microsoft Advertising in Southeast Asia. “Over that last seven years, Microsoft Advertising has worked closely with dLive to build the digital advertising landscape for Singapore-based advertisers and agencies,” said Huggins. “The decision to make this strategic investment is predicated on Singapore being the pre-eminent regional hub for advertisers and agencies, as demonstrated by the recent establishment of the Interactive Advertising Bureau here.”

Microsoft’s media properties include Windows Live Messenger, MSN, Windows Live and Bing.

“Microsoft is committed to the online advertising industry in this region as the digital landscape is expanding,” said Mark Inkster, managing director of Microsoft’s Online Services Group in Southeast Asia. “On average, consumers are spending over 40 per cent of their time online, and we have seen our network reach for MSN and Windows Live grow to over 74 per cent in the last year. With this new sales structure, we will be in a better position to support the growing number of advertisers who are looking to increase their digital budgets, as well as agencies that are investing in digital skill sets.”

Mathew Ward, MD Singapore of Admax Network, said the move “isn’t surprising” and that “major publishers often look to take more control of their sales force once they gain a decent market share, and given their size in the market it’s a natural progression for MSN.”

Separately, iHub Media, which is the official sales partner of Facebook in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, has appointed Grace Ng as vice-president of sales for to meet growing demand for advertising on the social network. 

In her previous role, Ng was leading dLive Media’s sales team. Carmen Hui and Lindy Chan also join IHUB as assistant vice-president of sales.

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