Rocket Fuel Hires First Chief Customer Officer

In the US, artificial intelligence-driven marketing platform Rocket Fuel has hired former Google and DoubleClick CEM exec Ben Saitz for a new role, Chief Customer Officer.

Rocket Fuel, which currently operates from more than twenty offices worldwide, combines the science of artificial intelligence with big data, to improve the effectiveness of programmatic marketing. The company's platform includes data management, programmatic media-buying, site optimization, and predictive analytics capabilities that extend across paid and owned channels, personalizing customer interactions. Last September, the firm rejected a second acquisition bid from ad targeting specialist Gravity4.

Saitz (pictured) joins from customer experience management firm Medallia, where he served as VP, Customer Solutions; prior to which he was Google's Global Head, Media and Technology Services; and DoubleClick's VP, Client Services. Earlier, he held senior operations roles at Phase2Media, Hachette Filipacchi Media, and ModemMedia; and he worked for BPA Worldwide as Manager, IT & Web Auditing.

In his new role, Saitz will lead all post-sales functions as the company aims to put its customers at the heart of its business. CEO Randy Wootton comments: 'Ben is a powerful addition to our executive team as we continue becoming a more 'outside-in' company, putting our customers first in everything we do. Ben knows our customer segments and knows the playbook for driving the kind of executional rigor that will allow us to continually delight our customers'.

Web site: www.rocketfuel.com .