New appointment at Venture Forge
Posted by The Editor
Fast-growing Amazon agency Venture Forge has appointed Joel Turner as commercial director, as the business enters its next phase of growth and continues to expand its client base.
Joel joins Venture Forge with more than 20 years' experience across ecommerce, media, technology and agency leadership. In his new role, he will be responsible for accelerating the agency's growth, developing strategic partnerships and helping more ambitious brands benefit from Venture Forge's expertise in navigating the Amazon marketplace.
His appointment comes hot on the heels of the signing of global sports nutrition brand Ultimate Sports Nutrition, which has appointed Venture Forge as a strategic partner to sharpen their commercial approach in the UK and expand into the right European markets. The new client win provides further momentum as the agency continues to build its presence among established and growing brands.
Joel said: “Venture Forge is at a really exciting stage of its growth, and that was a big part of what attracted me to the business. It has a strong team, deep Amazon expertise and a clear opportunity to help more ambitious brands unlock the potential of the marketplace.
“I’m looking forward to building on that momentum, developing new partnerships and helping shape the next phase of the business. There’s a real opportunity to take what Venture Forge does exceptionally well and bring that expertise to an even wider group of brands.”
Andrew Banks, co-founder and managing director said: "We have grown consistently by earning the trust of enterprise brands and household names on Amazon, and this appointment is about doing more of that, faster.
“Joel joins having held commercial director roles at 26 and 75Media, where he helped brands of this scale grow. That background and that seniority is exactly what we need to deliver on our plans for the coming years."
Joel brings extensive experience of building and scaling high-growth businesses, having held managing director and senior commercial positions across ecommerce, media, technology and agency environments. His previous roles have included building teams, launching new propositions and developing commercial strategies focused on revenue growth, profitability and long-term value.
At Venture Forge, he will work across new business, marketing, partnerships and proposition development, connecting the agency's deep Amazon expertise with the wider commercial challenges facing established brands.
His appointment follows the recent arrival of Stephen Kenwright as fractional chief commercial officer, further strengthening Venture Forge's senior commercial capability as the agency builds on its growth to date.
Founded in 2018 by former Heads of E-Commerce Andrew Banks and Jonathan Newton, Venture Forge now has a team of 21 and works with established and ambitious brands including Thermos, VAX, John Cotton, and Glen Dimplex.
The agency specialises in helping brands with annual revenues of £2m-£10m on Amazon unlock growth opportunities, improve operational efficiency and maximise profitability.
Coming within weeks of each other, the senior hire and the new client win tell the same story: a business growing in both capability and client base, while building the commercial foundations to help established brands find greater growth on Amazon.
