IDHL appoints managing director of earned and owned media

Digital commerce and performance group IDHL, headquartered in Leeds, has appointed Alex Wright as managing director of earned and owned media as it continues to develop its search offering.

Alex joins from Dentsu, where he was managing partner SEO and led the UK SEO team, working with global brands including Heineken and Ferrero Group.

He brings more than a decade of agency and brand-side experience, including seven years at Clicky, where he progressed from SEO specialist to agency director. His career also includes marketing roles at Panasonic and Iceland Foods.

In his new role, Alex will lead the development of IDHL’s SEO and generative engine optimisation proposition, alongside its capabilities across content, digital PR and outreach.

An established industry speaker, Alex has appeared at BrightonSEO five times and has been selected to speak at Google’s first Search Central Live Deep Dive Europe in 2026.

Alex said: “The role felt like a natural fit from the start. 

“IDHL has a strong leadership team, a clear ethos and a huge amount of specialist talent across the business, backed by impressive technology and client results.”

“As a specialist at heart, I’m excited to get under the skin of the product and build on the strong foundations already in place, continuing to evolve our SEO and GEO proposition as the market develops. 

“Building greater community and cohesion across the team will be just as important, because that will directly shape how we work with clients and the impact we can deliver.”

Alex’s appointment follows continued investment by IDHL in proprietary technology and AI-led tools designed to connect performance data and improve decision-making for clients.

Lewis Sellers, chief executive of IDHL, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Alex to IDHL. 

“He brings a fantastic mix of specialist search expertise, commercial leadership and people-first thinking, which will be invaluable as we continue to grow our owned and earned media offering. 

“His experience will help us sharpen our proposition, strengthen delivery for clients and unlock further opportunities across the business.”

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