• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, December 10, 2013

WPP's MediaCom unit has tapped mobile industry veteran Ben Phillips as its first ever global head of mobile. Phillips, who most recently headed sales at mobile DSP (demand-side platform) Adloqui, where he helped develop its exchange-based trading infrastructure, will report to MediaCom's Global Chief of ROI and Direct Marketing Officer David Kyffin.

He will also work closely with sister WPP mobile agency Joule. MediaCom is a unit of WPP's GroupM division, while Joule is a unit of WPP's tenthavenue division.

MediaCom says its mobile billings grew more than 117% this year, and that the trajectory has been especially steep in the U.K., Germany, Scandinavia, Singapore and India -- including a wide range of mobile advertising and marketing services, “ranging from creative to apps, vouchers, coupons, augmented reality and QR codes to geolocation campaigns.”

Phillips' initial focus, the agency says, will be to focus on mobile strategies directly with existing clients.