Robert Allan
Burlington
Summary
Professional with robust background in directing and managing large-scale operations, consistently driving success through strategic planning and execution. Adept at implementing innovative solutions that enhance productivity and operational effectiveness. Known for fostering teamwork and adapting to evolving business needs, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Paid Media and Monetization
Home Hardware Ltd.
12.2022 - Current
- Owned the full media mix, including TV, digital, print, and affiliate channels, to drive brand awareness and e-commerce performance
- Managing a $40M+ media budget
- Led paid search, performance marketing, and measurement science initiatives, optimizing MMM, A/B tests, and conversion rate analysis
- Spearheaded analytics frameworks, delivering insights from media to purchase funnel for smarter budget allocations
- Manage cross-functional teams across marketing and product development to ensure alignment and execution
- Silver Media Innovation Award for Best use of Media for an Hyper Local AI weather integration
Director of Paid Media and SEO
Lowe’s Companies Canada (Lowes, Rona, Reno Depot)
04.2018 - 12.2022
- Led digital and traditional media strategies with a focus on SEM, social, TV, radio, and OOH
- Managed a $50M+ budget and SEO strategy, achieving 20% efficiency in media spend over two years
- Pioneered the implementation of SA 360 OMNI Bidding, the first of its kind in Canada’s retail sector
- Directed cross-functional teams in marketing and product development, delivering data-driven results
Managing Director – Digital Revenue Products
The Toronto Star (Torstar)
11.2007 - 02.2018
- Led revenue growth strategies for Star Media’s digital products (theStar.com, Metronews.ca, etc.)
- Managed SEM clients, optimizing email marketing and loyalty programs to drive customer engagement
- Created new revenue streams by negotiating partnerships and introducing innovative ad technologies
- Oversaw operations and provided corrective feedback to achieve daily and long-term goals.
- Strengthened client relationships with regular communication, timely project delivery, and high-quality services.
- Increased overall company performance by implementing strategic management initiatives and streamlining operations.
Managing Director – Audience Solutions Digital Agency
The Toronto Star (Torstar)
12.2007 - 02.2018
- Founded a digital performance business, achieving an 80% sales increase YOY and reducing vendor costs by 30%
- Managed the strategy for SEM, programmatic, social media, and email marketing for top Canadian clients
- Led the development of multi-year strategies for product development and digital marketing
Manager – eCommerce
Canadian Kennel Club
01.2002 - 12.2007
- Directed web strategy and revenue-driven eCommerce initiatives, reporting progress to the Board of Directors
- Managed deployment of web applications and capital/departmental budgets in a 24/7 environment
Project Manager – Research and Development
Hotship.com
04.2000 - 01.2002
- Oversaw eCommerce web application development, managing a team of 15 developers
- Provided technical guidance and maintained 24/7 application deployment in a high-performance environment
Application Developer
Seradex Manufacturing Software
04.1999 - 04.2000
- Developed a manufacturing ERP solution in VB6 using Access and SQL7, integrating client-specific business rules
Education
Enterprise Business Architecture -
Schulich School of Business
01.2017
Innovators Masters Certificate -
University of Phoenix
01.2014
Associate Degree - Computer Engineering
Sheridan
Oakville, ON01-1997
Associate Degree - Business Marketing
Sheridan
Oakville, ON01-1995
Skills
- Media Strategy & Planning
- Paid Media
- SEM
- Social
- Programmatic
- Digital Flyer
- Leadership & Team Development
- Cross-Functional Team Management
- Vendor Relations
- Financial Expertise
- Budget Management
- ROI Improvement
- P&L Ownership
- Innovation
- Retail Media Networks
- New Product Launches
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Digital Marketing
- CRM
- Email Marketing
- Google AdWords
- Analytics
- Facebook Ads
- Technical Proficiency
- Microsoft Office Suite
- SQL
- HTML
- CRM Platforms
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Verbal and written communication
- Decision-making
- People management
Certification
- Google Certifications (AdWords, DMB/GAM, Sales Training)
- ITIL Foundation V2 Certification – 2008
- Business Analysis for CRM Design – Siebel University, 2002
Timeline
Director of Paid Media and Monetization
Home Hardware Ltd.
12.2022 - Current
Director of Paid Media and SEO
Lowe’s Companies Canada (Lowes, Rona, Reno Depot)
04.2018 - 12.2022
Managing Director – Audience Solutions Digital Agency
The Toronto Star (Torstar)
12.2007 - 02.2018
Managing Director – Digital Revenue Products
The Toronto Star (Torstar)
11.2007 - 02.2018
Manager – eCommerce
Canadian Kennel Club
01.2002 - 12.2007
Project Manager – Research and Development
Hotship.com
04.2000 - 01.2002
Application Developer
Seradex Manufacturing Software
04.1999 - 04.2000
Innovators Masters Certificate -
University of Phoenix
- Google Certifications (AdWords, DMB/GAM, Sales Training)
- ITIL Foundation V2 Certification – 2008
- Business Analysis for CRM Design – Siebel University, 2002
Enterprise Business Architecture -
Schulich School of Business
Associate Degree - Computer Engineering
Sheridan
Associate Degree - Business Marketing
Sheridan
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