Comcast promotes Rooke to Effectv head

Comcast’s ad sales division Effectv has announced the appointment of James Rooke as its general manager.

Rooke will oversee a 3,500 person team with all aspects, including sales, operations, technology, product, data innovation and insights, reporting into him. He will report to Comcast Advertising president Marcien Jenckes and be based in New York. 

Rooke is currently general manager of FreeWheel Publishers, a division of FreeWheel. FreeWheel and Effectv are both part of Comcast Advertising. 

Jenckes said: “Since leading the Comcast Advertising business, I’ve had the terrific opportunity to work with James. He is smart and inquisitive and brings a strong understanding of both the TV and digital sides of the business, having held leadership roles across several industries, including pay TV, cable, media, publishing and sales. In short, he grew up in cable ad sales and has literally helped build the future of the industry as we know it today. He is a standout leader to guide Effectv into its next chapter.”

Rooke said: “This is a wonderful and exciting opportunity, and I’m thrilled and humbled to lead Effectv in its new charge. There is so much potential in this brand. It’s an exciting and pivotal time for the company as we unlock Effectv’s industry-leading suite of products to deliver on the power of TV, combined with the best of digital, to transform the media experience for advertisers and consumers.”

Comcast rebranded its Spotlight business to Effectv at the beginning of November. The company said that the name change is meant to reflect that, in an ever-changing media environment, its campaigns can have a significant impact.