Summary
Overview
Work History
Skills
Websites
Timeline
Generic

MICHAEL POLLARD

Woodford Green

Summary

Commercial leader with 15+ years of success, driving revenue growth, strategic partnerships, and creative media solutions across leading Australian and UK media markets.


Proven ability to lead high-performing teams, manage complex agency ecosystems, and deliver innovative campaigns that exceed targets.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Agency Lead, Australia & New Zealand

TIKTOK Australia & New Zealand
07.2021 - 03.2025
  • Agency Lead in the Australia & New Zealand Growth Team & Agency Team
  • Reporting to both Head of Growth & Head of Agency Australia & New Zealand
  • Spearheaded agency partnerships across 100+ ATL/BTL, creative, and digital agencies
  • Founding member group & key contributor to launching the Independent Agency team in Australia
  • Focus on C-Suite engagement across APAC region
  • Quadrupled revenue in under 2 years through strategic education, multiple trade deals, and cross-functional collaboration
  • Defined and executed national growth strategies in partnership with creative, product, and marketing science teams in Australia, USA, Singapore, Dubai & United Kingdom

Business Director

Digital Cinema Media
08.2017 - 04.2021

· Managed and mentored a team of six
· Agency/Direct Sales, Campaign Management & Creative Solutions/Innovation departments
· Responsible for driving 25% of DCM Company Revenue ($200M+ gross annual turnover) via all exhibitors including VUE, Odeon, Picturehouse, Cineworld, Curzon)
· Conducted board to board presentations and implemented annual deals amongst trading teams at major agency networks and direct clients
· Training mentor for younger company members, including market trend analysis & trading/negotiations
· UK Media Sales Team of the Year at MWA awards beating ITV, Channel 4, Primesight, Twitter & Clear Channel
· 29%YOY growth in 2019, 34% YOY growth in 2018, 24% YOY growth in 2017
· Awarded 2019 UK Team of the Year Award

Senior Sales Manager

Digital Cinema Media
07.2016 - 07.2017

· Generated commercial growth across specific DCM exhibitors through implementing onscreen & offscreen inventory deals
· Negotiated large scale partnerships with key industry relationships and organised internal and external campaign implementation
· Provided strategy insight into film product opportunities, cinema trends and best creative practice
· Specialised in creative solutions management and worked cross functionally with external partners to package & sell joint media opportunities
· Results included 26% YOY growth for Creative Solutions market sector

Innovation Manager

Digital Cinema Media
06.2015 - 06.2016

· Generated creative solutions revenue across the GroupM patch, namely through Mindshare, Maxus, MEC, MediaEdge whilst reporting to Group Head
· Drove strategically led responses for both domestic and international brands through collaboration with external film distributor partners
· Demonstrated Cinema Innovation leadership & prepared strategic responses for all
incoming briefs and proactive proposals
· Acted as internal VUE exhibitor ambassador for DCM and created online, outdoor & onscreen opportunities for direct advertisers and agencies
· Grew GroupM revenue over 22% - a huge effort given the previous year YOY increases

Sales Operations Director

CARBUD Media
08.2013 - 05.2015

· Managed three direct reports (2 x Sales Managers & 1 x Operations Executive)
· Responsible for Company P&L across all commercial and operations activity
· Developed business strategy and revenue generation via on-car advertising & digital offering to major agencies and direct business across Australia
· Responsible for online recruitment program for Australian drivers – creating incentives, giveaways and online competitions via CRM & Social
· Organised and implemented multiple campaigns via numerous verticals for online & offline campaigns right across Australia

NSW Account Manager

Val Morgan Cinema
08.2011 - 07.2013

· Responsible for revenue growth amongst portfolio of Australian media agencies – reporting to the Group Sales Manager
· Met strict quarterly budgets and managed relationships at all levels of business
· Generated key partnerships and revenue via major advertisers such as Australian Federal Government, Hyundai, KIA & Nando's via Universal McCann, Initiative, Match Media & IKON
· Acted as cinema product expert, utilising significant product and market knowledge to drive long term partnership retention
· Tracked and optimised campaigns with the Operations department to ensure successful campaign delivery each week

Account Manager

ZenithOptimedia
01.2011 - 06.2011

· Managed client portfolio across NewsLimited & MLC
· Focus on planning and buying multiple media types for major products – especially
CarsGuide & CareerOne across the NewsLimited Group
· Provided managerial buying support across MLC & Sydney Fertility (Sydney & Perth
branches)
· Implemented buying and strategic deals across the entire patch across all designated client
products
· Provided client insight for strategy and delivery across all campaigns with a focus on TV Buying, Press, Outdoor & Radio

Business Executive

Mindshare
01.2009 - 12.2010

· Key agency contact working in strategy and a senior buying role for Volvo, Castrol Tourism New Zealand as part of ‘The Exchange'
· Focus on external client presentations, campaign tracking as well as providing audience insight into buying metrics
· Managed client campaign budgets, presented strategic and buying responses to briefs as key media campaign contact
· Mindshare Out Of Home Champion, selected as part of ‘The Exchange' to present analysis on wider agency OOH consumption & insight into buying trends

Media Assistant

Mindshare
09.2007 - 12.2008

· Responsible for data entry, tracking and all campaign performance across HSBC, Tefal & IBM
· Winner of 2008 Mindshare TV Buyers Course
· Major focus on all offline buying – TV, Radio, Press & Outdoor

Sales Representative

News Limited
01.2007 - 08.2007

· Managed client relationships, generated new business sales and ensured relationships were built with new business
· Role in the classifieds department for the Courier Newspapers & Magazines, which circulate
Sydney – Wentworth Courier, CENTRAL, Southern Courier, Inner Western Courier, North Side
Couriter, City Weekly, 9to5, Village Voice Balmain & Drummoyne, Village Voice Eastern
Beaches & Harbourside.

Skills

  • Sales Leadership
  • Digital & Traditional Media Specialist
  • Trade Deals & Negotiation
  • Film Strategic Partnerships
  • Media Strategy
  • Creative Solutions
  • Campaign Implementation
  • Team Development
  • Marketing Strategy

Timeline

Agency Lead, Australia & New Zealand

TIKTOK Australia & New Zealand
07.2021 - 03.2025

Business Director

Digital Cinema Media
08.2017 - 04.2021

Senior Sales Manager

Digital Cinema Media
07.2016 - 07.2017

Innovation Manager

Digital Cinema Media
06.2015 - 06.2016

Sales Operations Director

CARBUD Media
08.2013 - 05.2015

NSW Account Manager

Val Morgan Cinema
08.2011 - 07.2013

Account Manager

ZenithOptimedia
01.2011 - 06.2011

Business Executive

Mindshare
01.2009 - 12.2010

Media Assistant

Mindshare
09.2007 - 12.2008

Sales Representative

News Limited
01.2007 - 08.2007
MICHAEL POLLARD