Venture Forge appoints commercial director

Amazon agency Venture Forge, headquartered in Cleckheaton, has appointed Joel Turner as commercial director as it looks to accelerate growth and expand its client base.

Joel brings more than 20 years of experience across ecommerce, media, technology and agency leadership, including managing director and senior commercial roles.

His career has included building teams, launching new propositions and developing commercial strategies focused on revenue growth, profitability and long-term value.

At Venture Forge, he will lead activity across new business, marketing, partnerships and proposition development, helping more brands capitalise on opportunities within the Amazon marketplace.

Joel said: “Venture Forge is at a really exciting stage of its growth, and that was a big part of 
what attracted me to the business. 

“It has a strong team, deep Amazon expertise and a clear opportunity to help more ambitious brands unlock the potential of the marketplace.

“I’m looking forward to building on that momentum, developing new partnerships and helping shape the next phase of the business. 

“There’s a real opportunity to take what Venture Forge does exceptionally well and bring that expertise to an even wider group of brands.”

Joel’s appointment follows the recent arrival of Stephen Kenwright as fractional chief commercial officer, further expanding the agency’s senior commercial capability.

It also comes as Venture Forge adds global sports nutrition brand Ultimate Sports Nutrition to its client portfolio, supporting its growth in the UK and expansion into selected European markets.

Founded in 2018 by former heads of ecommerce Andrew Banks and Jonathan Newton, Venture Forge now employs 21 people and works with brands including Thermos, VAX, John Cotton and Glen Dimplex.

The agency specialises in helping established and growing brands improve their performance, operational efficiency and profitability on Amazon.

Andrew added: “We have grown consistently by earning the trust of enterprise brands and household names on Amazon, and this appointment is about doing more of that, faster.

“Joel joins having held commercial director roles at 26 and 75Media, where he helped brands of this scale grow. 

“That background and that seniority is exactly what we need to deliver on our plans for the coming years.”

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