Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company and part of dentsu, has appointed Andy Ankrah to head of technology consulting, leading a new dedicated UK practice that aims to drive business value through technology investment and optimisation for clients.

The UK Technology Consulting practice will address the challenges businesses face to meet ever-evolving customer requirements. While driving successful customer experiences requires integrated and connected technology, many businesses struggle with out-dated, siloed technology stacks, uncertain of where they need to innovate in order to fulfil their marketing strategy and vision.

The consultancy practice will provide senior brand decision makers with deep technology planning expertise enabling them to establish effective pathways towards a true CXM approach, and the sustained business value this unlocks. It will include everything from the deployment of specific technologies throughout the complete customer lifecycle to establishing the business processes and talent required to operationalise the strategy at scale.

Previously senior director of solutions, Merkle EMEA, Ankrah founded a similarly successful Customer Experience Optimisation (CXO) practice in the UK, which led global deployment of new technology for clients such as Stanley Black & Decker and Volkswagen Group.

Andy Ankrah

Ankrah will report into Niyi Duro-Emanuel, who leads Merkle’s UK Strategy team, which provides consultancy on CX strategy and planning, business transformation, omnichannel architecture and outcome measurement to drive progress and transformation. Duro-Emanuel took over the UK team in this new role in June.

Andy Ankrah, commented: “CXM requires us to make sense of a complex and fragmented landscape. This new practice will help clients slice through complexity to articulate what they really need. Ultimately, helping them accelerate and scale business value through technology and data delivered through outcome-based models. Having joined Merkle seven years ago as a graduate, I have always enjoyed digging deeper into client strategies to find efficiencies and optimisations in how we deliver. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to build and lead this technology practice, which will allow us to focus on providing those strategic support services at scale."

Niyi Duro-Emanuel, practice lead, UK Strategy, Merkle: "This is an incredibly exciting appointment for the UK and regional business. In addition to establishing a need for services within Merkle, Andy and the technology consulting practice will accelerate alignment across EMEA markets in Merkle's approach to technology recommendation when it comes to navigating the complexities of CXM and driving value through technology. It is a great step forward in supporting Merkle clients to completely transform their customer experience capabilities for sustainable competitive advantage.”