Global's Mike Gordon to Step Down as Chief Commercial Officer in 2027
Mike Gordon, who helped build Global into a UK media powerhouse over 18 years, will step down as chief commercial officer in 2027 and move to an advisory role — closing an era that produced DAX, a string of outdoor acquisitions and the Global Studios content push.
The end of an 18-year commercial era
Global has confirmed that chief commercial officer Mike Gordon will step down in 2027. Gordon joined in 2008 as part of the founding launch team alongside then-CEO Stephen Miron, and has spent 18 years shaping the commercial side of a company now spanning radio, outdoor and digital audio.
He will not disappear entirely: Gordon remains on Global's board and becomes executive advisor to group CEO Simon Pitts, the former STV chief who now runs the business. A successor will be announced later.
A commercial track record few can match
Under Gordon, Global generated billions in revenue and built much of the infrastructure that defines UK commercial audio today. He launched DAX, the digital audio advertising exchange; drove the acquisition of three outdoor companies; and expanded Global into YouTube video sales and podcasting.
He also spearheaded Global Studios and content plays including The Fellas Studio and The Overlap. Global's consumer brands — Capital, Heart, LBC and the Global Player app — now sit alongside a large outdoor estate, and much of that commercial architecture bears his fingerprints.
Marketing Minute's read: succession is the story to watch
Gordon's exit is well flagged — 2027 is a long runway — which tells you Global is managing this as an orderly handover, not a shock. The interesting question is what his successor prioritises. DAX and programmatic audio matured on his watch; the next chapter is likely about AI-led targeting, measurement and defending audio's share as connected TV and retail media compete for the same budgets.
For advertisers, continuity is reassuring in the near term. But leadership transitions are also the moments when sales houses reset packaging, pricing and data propositions. Expect the eventual successor to put their stamp on how Global's cross-platform audio and outdoor offer is sold.
What businesses should do now
If Global is part of your audio or outdoor plan, use the 2027 runway to lock in relationships and revisit your first-party data and measurement asks now, before any post-transition repricing. Push for clarity on how DAX and Global Player data can improve targeting and attribution for your campaigns.
More broadly, treat this as a reminder that commercial leadership shapes what you can buy and how. The best time to influence a sales house's roadmap is while it is planning the next era — not after the new leader has set it.
Quick FAQ
When is Mike Gordon stepping down from Global?
Gordon will step down as chief commercial officer in 2027. He will remain on Global's board as executive advisor to group CEO Simon Pitts.
What is Mike Gordon known for at Global?
He launched DAX, the digital audio ad exchange, led three outdoor acquisitions, expanded into YouTube video sales and podcasting, and drove Global Studios.
What brands does Global own?
Global's portfolio includes Capital, Heart and LBC radio, the Global Player app, podcast and studio businesses, and a substantial outdoor advertising estate.
Mike Gordon helped write the playbook for UK commercial audio, and a 2027 exit gives Global a rare, orderly runway to plan the next era. Watch the successor closely: leadership handovers are exactly when sales houses reset pricing, packaging and data. If you buy audio or outdoor, get your asks in early. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Leadership transitions reset how media is sold — use Global's long 2027 runway to lock in relationships and shape data and measurement asks before any repricing.
How much does commercial leadership at a media owner influence where you spend? Tell us what you want Global's next CCO to prioritise.
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: ExchangeWire, RadioToday, PodcastingToday, C21Media, Campaign.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
Comments