Seven imports new digital sales director from Unlockd in New York

Seven has appointed James Bayes digital sales director (OTT Video).

Bayes will be a key member of the team working across Seven’s rapidly accelerating moves into over-the-top digital content delivery, including the network’s live sports coverage beyond broadcast television and the forthcoming launch of Seven’s new over-the-top business later this year.

Bayes joins Seven from Unlockd in New York, where he is senior vice president, International Business Development.

Prior to joining Unlockd in 2015, Bayes was head of digital sales and operations at Southern Cross Austereo. Bayes has also held key roles in advertising and media buying agencies as communications manager at Starcom Mediavest in Australia and in digital planning and media buying at Agency Republic and OMD in London.

Kurt Burnette, Seven’s chief revenue officer, said: "As the market leader in long-form content creation and the aggregation of audience, digital expertise is critical to our 'total video' strategy across screens. To do that we need the very best people. We have searched far and wide to find the best possible person to deliver on that strategy and as such I am delighted to welcome somebody of James’s calibre to the team. Our aim is to change the game in total video for consumers and advertisers, and James is exactly the person to help us do that."

Clive Dickens, Seven’s chief digital officer, said: “Over the past 12 months, Seven West Media teams have delivered over 100% YOY growth in our O&O digital revenue off the back of some outstanding digital products, premium content and live sports events. The opportunity to work with James to accelerate this monetisation is extremely exciting.”