Martech company Mortar AI appoints group CEO

James Zipeure has been appointed group CEO of Australian martech company Mortar AI, as the business targets international expansion and launches a new marketing mix modelling (MMM) capability.

Zipeure will oversee Mortar’s rollout across the UK, US and Asia, with the former Havas ANZ chief operating officer also taking responsibility for the full deployment of Mortar’s core platform suite. The appointment comes as Mortar adds an integrated MMM module to its offering, designed to help marketers optimise, forecast, and reallocate spend in real time without overhauling their existing tech stacks.

“Marketers everywhere are grappling with fragmented systems, rising costs, and increasing pressure to prove impact,” said Zipeure. “Mortar solves these challenges by streamlining operations and putting real performance insights at their fingertips.”

He added: “As we scale across the UK, US and Asia, our focus is clear: to build a global platform that simplifies marketing and drives growth.”

A specialist in marketing and digital transformation, Zipeure brings experience from senior executive roles including chief information officer for APAC and founder of performance automation platform Exact AI. He joined Mortar as CEO in November 2024 and now steps into the newly created group CEO role.

Peter Michell, Chairman of Mortar AI, said: “James brings a rare mix of strategic thinking, technical depth, and commercial focus. He understands what’s broken in marketing and how to fix it. This signals a new phase for Mortar as we move from ambitious disruptor to trusted global partner.”

Mortar’s core suite includes Mortar DS, its data and audience layer; Helix, a campaign automation engine; and the newly launched MMM module. The platform is currently used across the retail, automotive, and FMCG sectors, enabling real-time campaign optimisation and spend modelling within a single interface.

Founded to help marketing teams streamline performance operations, Mortar integrates systems including CRM, CDP and advertising platforms, with an emphasis on automation and usability.

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