Digital agency hires director of International to launch first US office

National digital agency idhl has appointed Sam Ogrizovic as director of international to launch the firm’s first office in the US.

Sam will establish and grow the New York office as part of the agency’s ambitious growth plans. idhl specialises in performance media, e-commerce, web development, data and email marketing to help brands and businesses achieve accelerated growth in the digital economy.

idhl is one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent digital agencies and was established in Harrogate in 2000. The agency now operates nationally across the UK with offices in London, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle - employing more than 400 people. The agency delivered revenues of nearly £38m in the financial year ended December 31 2022.

The expansion comes as idhl identified potential growth opportunities for US clients and existing UK clients with a US presence. Ogrizovic will hire a team of digital experts in the coming months, with the New York office due to open in summer 2024.

Sam joins the team having previously worked for idhl as business development director from 2013 to 2017, specialising in sectors including retail, travel and financial services. He has vast experience in sales, recruitment and business development and returns to idhl after founding his own business, So Sales, in 2017.

Sam said: “Digital ad spend in the US is the highest per head globally and it’s continuing to grow at pace. idhl has a very strong IP which, coupled with the huge opportunity in the US territory, shapes this as a pivotal moment for the future expansion of the agency.

“I’m an entrepreneurial person and there are few occasions in your career which allow you to work with a business you know well to launch a new territory from scratch. Knowing that I have the strong engine and reputation of idhl behind me is a huge advantage and I cannot wait to get going!”

Sam added that he had worked with idhl, both as a client and an employee, for more than 12 years, giving him the full understanding of the commercial success of the business and what it delivers for brands and businesses.

idhl currently works with more than 450 clients in the UK across a range of sectors including financial services, professional services, industrials, luxury and fashion.

Ben Wood, CEO at idhl, said: “Sam is the perfect candidate to spearhead our US office launch, his tenacity and ability to form really strong relationships with clients as we deliver fantastic results for them is second to none. This is an extremely exciting time of growth for idhl, the potential to roll-out our products and services to the US market is huge.

“We are proud to work with some of the UK’s most ambitious brands and businesses. Now is the right time to expand our capability to clients in the US who are equally hungry for explosive growth through well executed digital strategies.”

Owned by Bridgepoint since 2021, idhl has ambitious growth plans for the future. The agency will consolidate nine brands across its group as part of its growth strategy this year, bolstering its consultative approach and enabling clients to thrive.