Gary has been working in mobile marketing since 2004, back when ringtones and wallpapers were still a business model.
He started out at a small media agency, moved on to ITV as Head of Mobile Advertising, and by 2008 was Managing Director at YOC, one of the early premium ad networks in Europe.
In 2015, he launched Machine Advertising, a company focused on tackling one of the biggest problems in mobile marketing: ad fraud. During his time at Machine, he also began developing the next generation of marketing‑mix‑modelling tools, known as AIM.
In 2023, Machine was acquired by Kochava, a leading mobile‑measurement company. There, Gary now leads the future of measurement through AIM, the next‑generation mix‑modelling product built for today’s cross‑channel, privacy‑conscious world.
Over the course of his career, Gary has worked with hundreds of app businesses to help them go to market, measure what matters, and improve marketing efficiency.
In your own words, what’s your role in the app business right now?
I currently lead the Marketing Mix Modelling business unit at Kochava. My role is to take a deeply technical discipline — MMM, grounded in data science and machine learning — and translate it into clear, actionable language.
My priority is helping marketers adopt more sophisticated ways to measure marketing effectiveness without requiring a PhD to grasp the value.
How did you end up working in apps?
I actually started my career in the music industry, working on marketing campaigns for record labels. But as digital services like Napster and iTunes took off, and later streaming platforms—the industry changed dramatically. A lot of traditional music marketing started to disappear.
Off the back of that, in 2004, I took a role at a small mobile agency that was producing ringtones and wallpapers for the same record labels, EMI, Warner Brothers, Sony, and many others. I was hired because of my background in music, but that move ended up being my entry point into mobile.
From there, I followed the mobile advertising and tech path as the space grew.
What are you most excited about in apps right now?
AI.
Is there anyone you’d like to shout out to who has influenced your journey in the app industry?
I’ve had the good fortune to collaborate with many exceptionally talented people throughout my career. I wouldn’t single out any one individual; instead, I believe success hinges on surrounding yourself with a strong, capable team.
What’s in your app tech stack?
If you’re a marketer, one essential element your ad‑tech stack can’t afford to miss is a Marketing Mix Modelling tool.
It’s no longer a question of if but when: the industry is shifting, and MMM is rapidly becoming the gold standard for measuring marketing effectiveness. Don’t get left behind, start using a solution purpose‑built for app marketers.
What do you like most about working in apps?
There are always new challenges.
What one thing would you change about the app industry?
If I could change one thing about app marketing, it would be the over‑reliance on last‑touch attribution. It was always intended as a stop‑gap, never a rigorous measure of performance — yet over time it became the default, leading to widespread misattribution and wasted budget. Last‑touch offers a false sense of precision while overlooking the influence created earlier in the customer journey.
The opportunity now is to help marketers move beyond that outdated model. We need measurement frameworks that reflect how users truly engage with campaigns across channels. Purpose‑built tools — such as Marketing Mix Modelling tailored for apps — deliver that fuller, more accurate view. That’s where the next wave of efficiency and performance gains will come from.
If you weren’t working in apps what would you be doing?
Stuntman.
iOS or Android?
iOS.
What apps have been most useful to you over the last year?
Maps.
What’s on your Spotify / Music party playlist?
Dance music.
Any Netflix/ TV show recommendations?
Succession.
Is there anything else we should know about you?
I’m older than I look.
Do you know someone driving change and growth in the app industry? Nominate an app leader here.
