Chamberlain takes top IBM role

Michael Chamberlain, a founder of Marketing Week, has been appointed to the new international role of head of media and content, media and entertainment and business innovation services at IBM.

The position’s responsibilities embrace Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Chamberlain will head all consultancy services.

The appointment marks another step in IBM’s move from a geographical to a sector focus, in tandem with the growing “convergence” of telecoms and media companies.

A major part of Chamberlain’s task will be to forge alliances between these companies and harness media content to new technology platforms, such as the forthcoming G3 mobile telecoms standard.

Chamberlain is expected to embark on a recruitment drive for senior personnel. He will have significant influence on a substantial promotion budget in the digital media sector.

Previously, Chamberlain was responsible for media worldwide at management consultancy Arthur D Little, where he spent four years. In 1994, he was appointed director of new media activities at United News & Media. Before that, he worked in a variety of roles, including that of managing director of Centaur, the parent company of Marketing Week.

“The reason that I made the switch from strategy consultancy is that, while clients may approve your ideas enthusiastically, you end up handing the implementation to someone else. IBM is a company with 300,000 people who eat these kinds of solutions for breakfast,” says Chamberlain.