Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas

Ascott-Under-Wychwood, England, United Kingdom
5K followers 500+ connections

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About

I help companies turn data into action and results, from day-to-day marketing decisions…

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Articles by Ian

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Experience

  • Yew Tree Data Consulting Graphic

    Yew Tree Data Consulting

    London, England, United Kingdom

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    London, England, United Kingdom

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    London, England, United Kingdom

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    London, England, United Kingdom

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    London, England, United Kingdom

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    London, United Kingdom

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    Wakefield, MA

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    Redmond, Washington

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    Bellevue, Washington

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    Bellevue, Washington

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    London, United Kingdom

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    London, United Kingdom

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Education

  • University of Cambridge Graphic

    University of Cambridge

    Activities and Societies: Clare College Chapel Choir, Cambridge Consort of Voices

    Studied Electronic & Information Engineering. Sang in college Chapel Choir, as well as other choirs at the University.

  • Completed an MSc in Opto-electronic Engineering. Also sang semi-professionally in several Oxford choirs.

Licenses & Certifications

Publications

  • Using generative AI to turbocharge digital marketing

    Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics

    AI has been used in marketing for some time to enable better targeting and optimisation of messages, but some of the benefits of these approaches have been limited by the ability to create personalised content at scale and the ability to measure the effectiveness of this content in a structured way. Generative AI offers a way to address these challenges and to facilitate integrations that make it easier to execute and measure marketing in a fragmented ecosystem. However, the technology presents…

    AI has been used in marketing for some time to enable better targeting and optimisation of messages, but some of the benefits of these approaches have been limited by the ability to create personalised content at scale and the ability to measure the effectiveness of this content in a structured way. Generative AI offers a way to address these challenges and to facilitate integrations that make it easier to execute and measure marketing in a fragmented ecosystem. However, the technology presents a series of technical, privacy and copyright challenges that organisations will need to overcome in order to use it effectively.

    See publication

  • Planning for a cookie-less future: How browser and mobile privacy changes will impact marketing, targeting and analytics

    Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics

    Recent and impending changes to the way that browsers and mobile platforms handle third-party cookies and Ad IDs will have a profound impact on the digital advertising ecosystem. This paper examines these changes in the context of the development of the adtech and digital media industry, and concludes that while these developments may be good for users by protecting them from intrusive third-party tracking and targeting, they risk further consolidating power with the three dominant companies in…

    Recent and impending changes to the way that browsers and mobile platforms handle third-party cookies and Ad IDs will have a profound impact on the digital advertising ecosystem. This paper examines these changes in the context of the development of the adtech and digital media industry, and concludes that while these developments may be good for users by protecting them from intrusive third-party tracking and targeting, they risk further consolidating power with the three dominant companies in the sector: Google, Facebook and Amazon. Advertisers and marketers will need to work hard to ensure that they do not become over-dependent on these suppliers; but the changes do offer the opportunity to move back to a better equilibrium between advertising and the content that it appears alongside, driving value for both advertisers and consumers.

    See publication

  • Getting ready for the California Consumer Privacy Act: Building on General Data Protection Regulation preparedness

    Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics, Henry Stewart Publications

    Following the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, several US states are introducing similar privacy laws. Of these, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will be the most far-reaching. The CCPA builds on various consumer privacy principles established with the GDPR, albeit with some important differences, and is likely to act as the template for any forthcoming federal legislation in the USA.

    This paper examines some of the ways that the CCPA is…

    Following the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, several US states are introducing similar privacy laws. Of these, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will be the most far-reaching. The CCPA builds on various consumer privacy principles established with the GDPR, albeit with some important differences, and is likely to act as the template for any forthcoming federal legislation in the USA.

    This paper examines some of the ways that the CCPA is similar to and differs from the GDPR, and how this affects the way that businesses should prepare for the implementation of the law in 2020. It then considers the level of GDPR preparedness among US businesses as an indication of their readiness to comply with the CCPA, before presenting a set of privacy best practices that businesses should adopt in order to remain compliant with the increasingly wide range of privacy laws being passed around the world.

    See publication

  • The impact of the General Data Protection Regulation on digital marketing and analytics

    Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics

    The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has a substantial impact on all areas of Digital Marketing and Analytics, including first and third-party data collection, targeting and segmentation, campaign execution and analysis. Since its introduction, the digital marketing industry has made various changes to its practices to comply with the new law, changing the landscape for marketers, advertisers and publishers.

    This paper reviews the nature and impact of these changes, and…

    The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has a substantial impact on all areas of Digital Marketing and Analytics, including first and third-party data collection, targeting and segmentation, campaign execution and analysis. Since its introduction, the digital marketing industry has made various changes to its practices to comply with the new law, changing the landscape for marketers, advertisers and publishers.

    This paper reviews the nature and impact of these changes, and makes several recommendations for marketers who may still be unclear on how to balance their own interests with those of the individuals that they wish to communicate with through their marketing. It also discusses strategies that marketers can use to mitigate the impact of the restrictions on data collection and processing, particularly through third-parties, that GDPR imposes.

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  • Using multi-armed bandit experimentation to optimise multichannel digital marketing campaigns

    Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics, Volume 3

    Multichannel campaign optimisation using a machine-learning technique called multi-armed bandit experimentation is a powerful, though nascent, alternative to traditional campaign attribution approaches for maximising return on marketing investment. The technique works by treating the various attributes of a digital marketing campaign as combinatorial treatments in an ongoing controlled experiment and continuously optimising delivery towards the combinations which deliver the best…

    Multichannel campaign optimisation using a machine-learning technique called multi-armed bandit experimentation is a powerful, though nascent, alternative to traditional campaign attribution approaches for maximising return on marketing investment. The technique works by treating the various attributes of a digital marketing campaign as combinatorial treatments in an ongoing controlled experiment and continuously optimising delivery towards the combinations which deliver the best results.

    This paper provides an overview of this new campaign optimisation approach, including some existing in-market solutions that use it, and examines some of the factors and prerequisites that organisations will need to consider in implementing such a technique.

    See publication

  • Binary optical correction of wavefront aberration using spatial light modulators

    Adaptive Optical Systems and Applications, San Diego, CA (SPIE Symp. Proc. no. 2534)

    This paper presents experimental results from a study of the performance of a ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator (FLCSLM) used as an aberration corrector. The FLCSLM, with suitable polarizing optics, acts as a binary phase only modulator. Using a cascaded system of three such FLCSLMs we obtain up to eight discrete levels of phase modulation over an array of 128 by 128 pixels. Partial correction of phase aberration is effected by using the FLCSLMs to provide a discretized…

    This paper presents experimental results from a study of the performance of a ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator (FLCSLM) used as an aberration corrector. The FLCSLM, with suitable polarizing optics, acts as a binary phase only modulator. Using a cascaded system of three such FLCSLMs we obtain up to eight discrete levels of phase modulation over an array of 128 by 128 pixels. Partial correction of phase aberration is effected by using the FLCSLMs to provide a discretized approximation to the phase conjugate of the aberrated wavefront. Performance limitations due to phase quantization, spatial quantization, and inter-pixel gap are discussed in terms of achievable Strehl ratios. These experimental and theoretical results, coupled with other considerations we present, support the suggestion that FLCSLMs could play a role in adaptive optical systems for astronomical telescopes.

    Other authors
    • Seth E Broomfield
    • Mark A A Neil
    • Edward G S Paige
    See publication

  • Programmable correction for optical aberrations using a phase-only spatial light modulator

    Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Oxford, 1993

    Masters thesis on the use of optimization algorithms to drive a programmable phase modulator to reduce optical aberrations from an incoming source, with applications for astronomy and other remote optical sensing scenarios.

    See publication

Languages

  • French

    Limited working proficiency

  • Italian

    Limited working proficiency

Organizations

  • Digital Analytics Association

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    - Present

Recommendations received

  • LinkedIn User

    LinkedIn User

    “Ian is a unique leader within the data realm: able to describe topics that are so often clouded with jargon in clear, relatable terms, frequently supported by valuable real-world examples from years of experience in the industry. During our time working together, I could always count on Ian to be aware of the latest data trends but not blinded by hype, and he is someone you can trust to chart a pragmatic course through the world of change in ML, AI and analytics. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Ian as a fellow practice head, and his blend of clarity, pragmatism and people skills will be an asset to anywhere looking to transform their data capability.”

  • LinkedIn User

    LinkedIn User

    “I am delighted to write this LinkedIn recommendation for Ian, who has been an exceptional manager and mentor to me throughout our professional journey together. Ian possesses a rare blend of leadership skills, expertise in proposition development, and outstanding management capabilities, making him an invaluable asset to any organisation. During our time working together, Ian consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to my professional growth and development. They took the time to understand my strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations, and then tailored his guidance and support accordingly. Whether it was providing constructive feedback, challenging me to think critically, or offering valuable insights, Ian pushed me to exceed my own expectations and achieve remarkable results. Furthermore, Ian's management skills are second to none. They effortlessly fostered a positive and inclusive work culture, where team members felt valued, motivated, and inspired to do their best. His approachable nature created an environment of trust and transparency, enabling effective communication and seamless collaboration within the team. I am particularly grateful for Ian's unwavering support and guidance during a critical phase of my career. They actively encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone, take on new challenges, and continuously learn and grow. His mentorship helped me develop invaluable skills, such as effective stakeholder management, persuasive communication, and management of others, which have been instrumental in my professional success. Without a doubt, Ian is an exceptional leader who has a profound impact on his team members. His ability to motivate, inspire, and empower individuals is a testament to their remarkable managerial prowess. I am truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work under Ian’s guidance, and I wholeheartedly recommend Ian to any organisation seeking an exceptional leader and mentor who can drive outstanding results. Thank you, Ian, for your unwavering support and for being an extraordinary manager who has helped shape my professional journey.”

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