Acast appoints Kate Mander as Commercial Development Manager UK/IE

Acast today announces the hire of Kate Mander as Commercial Development Manager UK/IE. Mander — who joins Acast Creative, the company’s dedicated in-house creative team — will be responsible for major brand partnerships and activations, working closely with Acast’s top podcasting talent to build on the 58% increase in brand spend Acast recorded in the UK last year.

Mander has more than a decade’s experience in the talent industry, both as a former agent and in her previous role as Head of Talent Partnerships at the Stylist Group. She will develop bespoke brand opportunities with leading talent from across the Acast Creator Network — which includes podcasts such as Jessie Ware’s Table Manners, Sh*gged Married Annoyed, and Dr Rupy’s Doctor’s Kitchen. These will cover everything from original branded podcast series to live events, and co-creating products such as books,at-home meal kits and other brand extensions.

Mander has built and managed the careers of household names including Clara Amfo, Gizzi Erskine and Emma Bunton, and at The Stylist Group was pivotal in the success of talent-led events such as the Remarkable Women Awards and the award-winning Stylist Live festival. She also led all commercial talent partnerships for Stylist, working with some of the world’s biggest brands like Coty, NatWest, Amazon, TK Maxx and Adidas — and her experience on both sides of such deals means she knows the talent industry inside out.

The hire also supports the growth of Acast Creative, which develops bespoke, innovative campaigns to deliver brilliant brand stories in podcasting and beyond. Launched in 2019, Acast Creative offers solutions such as long-form audio formats and campaign amplification including social, experiential and product launches — all rooted in Acast’s leading podcasting talent.

Acast Creative recently introduced Sponsored Stories, a first-of-its-kind premium podcast ad format that combines sponsorship and branded content, allowing for longer, more engaging storytelling, dynamically inserted across a podcast’s back catalogue.

Jack Preson, Director of Acast Creative UK & US, said: “Kate joining the Acast Creative team represents a shift in how we’re able to work with creators and brands to tell their stories, expanding our ability to offer new, bespoke opportunities and activations.

“Podcasting is constantly evolving, and smart brands are seeing the opportunity to work with creators on original series, live experiences, and even physical products. Kate’s vast experience and her understanding of the talent industry will help our podcasters make even more money — and will unlock unique new opportunities for the brands they work with.”

Kate Mander, Commercial Development Manager UK/IE, Acast Creative, added: “Acast is home to the best names in the business and, with the world of podcasting exploding, there’s never been a bigger opportunity for creators and brands to work together. At Acast we understand that podcasters are artists, not algorithms, and I can’t wait to start bringing more truly collaborative commercial opportunities to brands.”

About Acast

Acast is the power source of podcasting, a global platform that offers everything creators and advertisers need to find and reach millions of listeners. Acast provides a creator-first, open ecosystem for podcasts that is profitable, fair and sustainable for any creator — from bedroom podcasters to celebrity shows or emerging influencers. Acast connects podcasters and advertisers through the world’s biggest podcast marketplace, offering reach to millions of immersed podcast listeners with host-front advertising campaigns, audio ads and branded content. Founded in 2014 by Johan Billgren, Acast now hosts more than 25,000 podcasts — reaching more than 310 million listeners every month and working with thousands of brands.