14 Sep 2022 | Ella Sagar

The Fishbowl: Leo Goldingham, Acast

The Media Leader’s interview series asks the media industry’s top salespeople 10 revealing questions, drawn from our fishbowl. The questions will be drawn at random and contain some tricky posers set by the commercial chiefs themselves.

This week is Leo Goldingham, Acast’s UK director of sales.

Leo Goldingham started at Acast in 2018 as key account director, moving to group business director in 2021 and finally UK director of sales earlier this year.

Goldingham has previous roles in business development, sales and planning at Wireless Group, First Radio Sales and Global.

What podcast do you regularly listen to and why?

Blindboy is a regular for me, you learn something new with each episode and there is so much variety. Comedy meets social commentary meets the history of art, culture and society delivered in a unique and brilliant way by an extremely talented and knowledgable orator. Want an episode recommendation? I got you, listen to the “Jolly Fauntelroy” episode.

What was your first paid job and why did you do it?

I was a tree surgeon’s lackey, essentially I followed a man wielding a chainsaw around and cleared up after him as he wrought havoc on the local shrub scene. £50 for a day’s work as a 14-year-old, and my boss used to quite enjoy a lie-down in the afternoon so I often got to go home early, in many ways it was a dream role.

What key thing has changed in conversations with clients this year compared to last year?

More than ever clients are coming to Acast for events, live podcasts and other “beyond the pod” solutions as they have gained trust in our ability to deliver creative excellence and extraordinary activations alongside our core products.

What’s been your biggest challenge this year and what are you doing about it?

Maintaining our great culture is a key focal point when it feels like the “season finale” of the news every night.

What if anything is your business planning on doing differently in 2023?

We will continue our mission to evolve technology and develop products that improve the podcast industry as a whole, serve clients needs and put creators first.

Acast+ and Conversational Targeting are our latest innovations in a long line of innovations dating back to when Acast fundamentally changed the entire podcast industry by inventing Dynamic Ad Insertion 8 years ago.

Describe your WFH setup in no more than 10 words.

I need sun tan lotion because of my wretched skylight.

Who is the smartest person you know?

My friend Joe Selwyn is the smartest person I know, he works at Baringa, hit him up to transform your media business for the better.

If you didn’t work in your current media sector, which other media sector could you see yourself working in?

In media I feel strongly about two things.

Firstly, no barrier to entry media; it facilitates truth and fosters representation. The social utility of podcasting is immensely valuable in our time, it is a conduit for information and learning in a time when media is not as free and truthful as it could be.

Secondly, the power and value of contextual advertising. In my mind, the days of planning by age and gender should be behind us as society evolves beyond normative stereotyping.

I would look to other business that do contextual advertising as brilliantly as Acast, businesses like Reddit and Pinterest where you can be immersed in a subject and be served relevant advertising.

Outside your own company, which sales team is doing really well?

DCM. They have good culture which is a matter close to my heart, and they offer a premium advertising solution with low ad clutter and enjoyable adverts which is fundamentally how advertising should be.

I find some of their partnerships nearly as enjoyable as an Adam Buxton sponsorship jingle, which is the highest praise I can give.