Head Of Affiliate Network Leaves Google, Joins Behavioral Marketing Firm

Behavior-based marketing solutions provider Catalina Marketing has scored a big win. The company, which specializes in precision marketing and shopper-driven media, has tapped former Google exec Chris Henger to run its Digital Services business unit.

Henger joins Catalina Marketing from Google’s Affiliate Network business, originally part of the Google acquisition of DoubleClick in 2008 and launched in August of that year.

Henger served as a member of the executive team at Performics, an interactive marketing firm specialized in search and affiliate marketing, which was acquired by DoubleClick in 2004, for six years. After the acquisition, Henger played a key role in integrating DoubleClick Performics with Google’s Affiliate Network launch.

Prior to joining Performics, Henger was Senior Vice President/General Manager at publicly held Emusic.com, (acquired by Vivendi Universal).

Previously, he was responsible for all aspects of RollingStone.com including managing sales, technology, marketing and operations for the standalone division.

Henger spots a lot of similarities between Catalina Marketing and his previous employer:

“Catalina Marketing essentially does for its retail and CPG partners and brand clients what Google does for its advertisers – delivering relevant, highly-valued communications to large, but precise audiences; plus, Catalina Marketing gives brand advertisers access to the most important measure of engagement – incremental units sold.”

Henger will manage the company’s in-store network, said to be comprised of 90 million households and 300 million weekly shopper transactions.

(Thanks to Affiliate Summit / Flickr for letting us use the picture of Henger)