• by Colin Kirkland , December 3, 2024

Meta’s head of ads in the Americas, Alvin Bowles, has announced his departure from the social media company after holding the role for almost 18 months. Meta veteran Simon Whitcombe will take over Bowles' position in North America.

Joining Meta in 2015, Bowles has overseen the growing success of Meta's ad business across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp since stepping into the leading sales role, with the company returning to growth in 2023 after announcing its first-ever revenue decline as a public company in 2022.

After revamping its ad platform and building out its AI-powered Advantage+ ad suite, Meta reported record revenue growth and solid advertising metrics in Q3 of 2024, growing its revenue by 19% year-over-year to $40.59 billion.>

Under Bowles' leadership, ad impressions delivered across the company's family of apps also increased by 7% year-over-year, with the average price per ad increasing 11%, signaling a healthy demand among marketers trying to reach their target audience.

As for Advantage+ – first launched in 2022 as a response to Apple's iOS 14 privacy changes – Meta says over 15 million ads have been created using its suite of generative AI tools.

Bowles officially announced he will be leaving Meta through a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, writing that he will “explore the next chapter” of his career.

Whitcombe, Bowles’ replacement, has led teams in Meta’s global business division for 12 years, with a focus across the entertainment, travel, auto, financial services, and technology sectors. In his new role, Whitcombe will direct his attention to helping businesses leverage Meta’s ad platform.

In a recent statement, Whitcombe was described by the company's head of global business group, Nicola Mendelsohn, as a “trusted leader.”