The Fifth appoints LADbible’s Sam Coleman to lead commercial strategy

he Fifth, a full-service influencer marketing and talent agency backed by News UK, today announces the appointment of Sam Coleman as Commercial Director. In the newly created role, Sam will lead the day-to-day commercial strategy and sales operations, as well as client services business for the rapidly expanding agency. His appointment follows the launch of The Fifth Talent last month.

Previously Head of Group Sales at LADbible, Sam was responsible for leading the commercial department and driving significant revenue growth, scaling the team, transforming the perception of the brand and the quality of its output. His 18 years’ experience in the media industry also includes positions at The Guardian, ESPN and Disney; leading on the launch of Disney Media Sales and Partnerships in the UK and launching The Guardian’s commercial sports proposition. 

Sam will be reporting to Oliver Lewis, Managing Director and Founder of The Fifth. In his role, he will have responsibility for managing new business and revenue generation from brands and advertisers, playing a critical role in the future success of the business.

Sam Coleman, Commercial Director, The Fifth, said: “I am incredibly excited to be joining The Fifth at such an important time for the company. Influencer marketing is still relatively nascent and The Fifth is in a great position to professionalise it, ultimately to build trust with clients through bold and effective work. Oliver Lewis has a real vision for the company - and a client roster that already includes Tag Heuer, Marc Jacobs, Lucozade and TikTok.” 

Oliver Lewis, Managing Director and Founder, The Fifth, said: “We’re delighted Sam is joining the team. As a business, we’re growing rapidly, and Sam’s expertise and experience will allow us to continue to accelerate our services to brands and clients. The experience he brings is second to none and I look forward to working together at this exciting stage of the journey”.

Sam joins the team at a crucial point of growth for The Fifth. Its new talent agency was born from an increased demand from talent to represent them exclusively. Backed by News UK, The Fifth Talent manages the publisher’s content creators and journalists, creating opportunities to partner with brands independent of the News UK’s titles. The ambition is to bring together mainstream and social-first talent, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion for brand campaigns across multiple sectors, on a global scale.

Since launch, The Fifth has become an established agency partner for leading brands, including Tag Heuer, Marc Jacobs, Lucozade and TikTok, working with a wide range of talent from boxing champion Anthony Joshua to feminist artist Florence Given. Rapid growth has also resulted in 15 new hires for the agency in less than 12 months.