MAG International Appoints Oliver Chislett as Group Head of Programmatic

Media Agency Group International (MAG International) has appointed Oliver Chislett as Group Head of Programmatic, the agency announced. The hire is designed to strengthen MAG International's global digital media leadership as it builds out its data-led, multi-platform media buying proposition.

Chislett Brings Two Decades of Cross-Market Experience

Chislett joins MAG International with 20 years of experience in media sales and trading. He has held senior commercial roles at Spotify, News UK, CarGurus, Etisalat, and JCDecaux, with his career spanning markets across the UK, USA, Europe, and MENA.

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His background covers digital and programmatic advertising, broadcast media, strategic sales planning, and high-value deal structuring at the executive level.

Mark Dolan, Managing Director of MAG International, said: "Oliver's appointment reflects our commitment to bringing world-class programmatic expertise into the heart of our business. His breadth of experience across major global markets, combined with his track record of driving commercial growth at the highest level, makes him exactly the right person to lead this offer for our clients."

Role Focused on Transparent, Platform-Neutral Media Buying

In his new position, Chislett will lead MAG International's global programmatic strategy. His mandate centers on delivering what the agency describes as agile, transparent, and platform-neutral digital media solutions (meaning the agency is not tied to any single ad-buying platform or technology vendor).

His focus will be on building tailored multi-platform strategies that produce measurable business results for clients, moving away from volume-based approaches toward performance-driven media buying.

Chislett commented on the MENA opportunity specifically: "MENA remains one of the most exciting growth markets in media, where innovation across multiple sectors continues to reshape the landscape. While recent regional instability has impacted business confidence in parts of the market, the long-term fundamentals remain strong, and the region is expected to bounce back with renewed momentum."

Appointment Reflects Broader Agency Trend of Elevating Programmatic Leadership

MAG International's hire follows a documented pattern across the agency industry of placing programmatic and AI-driven media buying expertise at the organizational core rather than within specialist silos.

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Other agencies have made comparable senior appointments in recent periods. IPG appointed Yaniv Sarig as global head of AI commerce, while Horizon Media named Tim Rich as head of AI. Hypermedia similarly appointed a dedicated Head of Programmatic for digital out-of-home advertising.

The Omnicom-IPG merger, which created a combined entity with US$25 billion in revenue and more than 100,000 employees, has also shifted competitive dynamics. Independent and mid-tier agencies are using this period of holding company consolidation to attract senior talent and position on agility and transparency.

MAG International's MENA and Global Positioning

Chislett's prior role at Etisalat, one of the UAE's largest telecommunications groups, gives MAG International direct regional market knowledge at the leadership level. MENA programmatic markets involve distinct regulatory environments, language considerations, and media consumption patterns that differ from Western markets.

The appointment of a dedicated Group Head of Programmatic, rather than distributing the function across existing roles, signals MAG International's intent to build a standalone programmatic practice capable of competing with specialist trading desks.

Chislett's background at JCDecaux also positions him with direct expertise in programmatic digital out-of-home, a format where outdoor advertising inventory is increasingly bought and sold through automated platforms.