IAB Australia board appoints Suzie Cardwell as new chair; Sarah Myers named deputy chair

IAB Australia today announced that Suzie Cardwell (above left), Nine’s Chief Data Officer, has been appointed Chair of the IAB Australia Board, while Sarah Myers (above right), GM Audience and Marketing at REA Group has been appointed Deputy Chair.

Three new Board members have also been appointed with Dean La Rosa, General Manager, Commercial Data at News Corp, Heather McGovern, Acting CMO at Domain and Davor Vilusic, Executive General Manager Media at carsales joining the IAB Australia board.

Cardwell succeeds Vanya Mariani who stepped down from the IAB Board following her departure from carsales.

As Chair, Cardwell will work closely with IAB Australia CEO, Gai Le Roy, on several initiatives including ensuring responsible frameworks are in place to meet marketer, consumer and Government expectations through 2025, while also exploring new market needs and dynamics.

The Board will also focus on harmonising carbon emissions tracking for media buying and planning, evolving the digital ratings currency Ipsos iris, preparing for the next tranche of privacy reforms and providing education and guidance on AI developments impacting the digital advertising industry. These are detailed in the IAB Australia Annual Report.

Says Le Roy: “I would like to thank Vanya for driving a vibrant and productive era of the IAB and being such a positive force in the industry. We are incredibly lucky to have Suzie, who is an incredibly admired and respected digital advertising leader, taking the chair role. Her strategic smarts and market knowledge will be wonderfully complemented by Sarah’s knowledge of marketing and audience trends and needs.”

Says Cardwell: “I’m honoured to be appointed as the Chair of the IAB Australia Board and excited to work with Gai and the Board to further the mission of IAB Australia. The IAB plays a vital role in fostering a thriving and sustainable digital advertising ecosystem in Australia. We operate in a complex landscape. By continuing to work together, we can navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. We can also ensure that the industry continues to grow and evolve in a way that benefits all stakeholders.”

Cardwell is the Chief Data Officer across the Nine group, positively impacting consumer and commercial experiences, as well as identifying future opportunities. A seasoned media executive of more than 20 years, Cardwell brings a wealth of consumer and commercial experience and expertise in media, digital and data to the role. With a proven track record in leading successful data-driven change programs, she has held prominent leadership roles in other large media organisations, including News Corp and Foxtel, prior to joining Nine.

Myers is a seasoned marketing professional with 20+ years’ experience building and expanding well-known Australian brands including realestate.com.au, Mortgage Choice, Domain, SMH and The Age. As a respected digital leader, her expertise is in driving audience growth and engagement across digital media and tech businesses. At REA Group, Sarah is the General Manager of Audience & Marketing, leading strong team across brand and performance, lifecycle marketing, audience and personalisation, and analytics.