Mark Waugh

Deputy Managing Director

ZenithOptimedia

When Mark joined the UK media planning fraternity from Oxford University, media was seen as an exceptional, trading-based discipline that followed the strategic lead offered by the advertising agency. In the intervening 16 years Mark has been a key player in driving the strategic importance of media planning in the industry and at the age of 28 became the youngest ever Managing Partner of Optimedia. He grew his expertise beyond the traditional ‘Big Five’ advertising media into events, ad-funded programming, sponsorship, product placement, field marketing, and now digital. Mark joined market leader ZenithOptimedia as Deputy Managing Director in 2003.

In his career he has amassed experience across almost every market category, from motors to luxury goods and financial services to FMCG. This, coupled with ZenithOptimedia’s 100 clients, including blue chip companies such as British Airways, L’Oréal, Toyota and Masterfoods, who spend over £700 million

in the UK, allows Mark a unique scaled perspective on the behaviour of Britain’s brands. Furthermore, Advertising Age named ZenithOptimedia Global Agency of the Year in 2005.