ADMA drives data and privacy lead with the appointment of David Simon to new role

The Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) has announced the appointment of David Simon (pictured left) to the newly expanded role of director of public policy & regulatory affairs.

Simon’s appointment has been made as part of ADMA’s defined strategy to provide an industry leadership role in data and privacy as it applies to all marketing and advertising, including the digital and social media space.

ADMA CEO Jodie Sangster (pictured left) said Simon’s appointment responds to a “clear and rapid” shift towards data-driven marketing and advertising.

Says Sangster: “All future marketing and advertising will be driven by data-insights, but there is often a knowledge gap between the activity of data-driven marketing and the compliance responsibilities that such marketing brings”.

Sangster says she sees ADMA’s role as bridging that knowledge gap and ensuring marketers and advertisers have access to the ‘plain-English’ information and easy-to-use resources that will be required.

Simon joins ADMA directly from a senior policy role in the Commonwealth attorney-general’s department – the same department that oversees the privacy legislation. Simon comes to ADMA with a significant network in government, industry and academia as well as expertise in content regulation, privacy and data security.

Says Sangster: “This is a unique skillset and will ensure ADMA members have the best representation in Canberra and beyond.”

Simon’s appointment coincides with the launch of the ADMA Compliance Hub – the first and only one of its kind in Australia. The ADMA Compliance Hub is a one-stop-shop for all marketing and advertising compliance needs. It is a comprehensive compliance resource that includes videos, webinars and other practical content designed for marketers and advertisers.

Says Sangster: “We have cut out the legal jargon and replaced it with clear and simple guidance.”

Prior to joining ADMA, Simon was also a member of the Australian Classification Board from 2006-2009, during which time he chaired a compliance monitoring committee. As a regulator, he made decisions for the classification of film and computer game content. This unique experience gave him in-depth practical experience in the use of codes and guidelines as regulatory instruments.

Following his term on the Board, Simon was offered a role in the attorney-general’s department, developing and delivering regulatory compliance training to public and private organisations. His expert knowledge enabled organisations to develop in-house capabilities in regulatory compliance, under a range of self and co-regulation schemes.

In 2010, David obtained a master of government and commercial law from Australian National University.