Aitken appointed IASH chairman

by Andrew McCormick Media Week 13-May-08, 16:00

LONDON - The Internet Advertising Sales House (IASH), the trade body for online sales houses, has appointed digital industry veteran and former IASH head James Aitken to the position of chairman.

At an IASH meeting yesterday, Aitken was appointed chairman by a majority of IASH members, who are striving to improve perceptions of the online advertising sector, which has come under scrutiny for allegedly placing high-profile ads next to inappropriate content.

Eager to bring more credibility to companies that sell ads online, IASH has been courting senior media professionals to give more authority to the trade body, a council of the Internet Advertising Bureau.

Having considered a number of high profile media industry names, IASH has, however, returned to founding chairman Aitken, who has enjoyed much success in his business ventures before and since becoming chairman in November 2005.

In July 2004 Mediabrokers, a company founded by Aitken, was sold to digital technology firm aQuantive. Online media giant Microsoft subsequently purchased aQuantive for around $6bn in May last year.

IASH was previously chaired by Unanimis founder and managing director Khalil Ibrahimi, who stood down last year amidst a consensus opinion that the trade body required an independent chairman, rather than one of the organisation's most senior paying members.

The IAB declined to comment.