Brisbane-based digital marketing and automation platform, Constant Contact, has announced the appointment of two new executives to its regional team.

Gerard Smith has been appointed as the Asia Pacific (APAC) Head of Partnerships for Constant Contact, while Sam Whitmore has been named the new APAC Head of Commercial. These appointments are part of Constant Contact's strategy to support rapid growth and small businesses across the APAC region.

Smith, previously the APAC Head of Agency Partnerships at WP Engine, will be based out of Constant Contact's regional headquarters in Brisbane. Smith will focus on supporting the company's resellers in Australia and New Zealand.

"I'm excited to join Constant Contact and look forward to unlocking new growth opportunities and fostering stronger collaboration with our partners across the APAC region," said Smith.

Whitmore, who has held several executive roles at Salesforce in the United Kingdom, with a focus on SMB customers, is the new APAC Head of Commercial for Constant Contact.

"I'm thrilled to have joined Constant Contact in APAC at this exciting phase and to be driving strategies that will support our customers and their own growth journeys," Whitmore said.

Vice President Asia Pacific, Constant Contact, Renee Chaplin, who was appointed last year to lead the company's expansion across APAC from Brisbane, welcomed the new appointments.

"Our agency partners continue to be important drivers of expansion and we intend to double down on our commitment to them in-region to help their businesses be more successful in 2024," Chaplin said. She also described Whitmore as a "commercial powerhouse" and expressed delight at having her on board to lead customer success, customer support and inside sales functions for Constant Contact in APAC.

Chaplin also highlighted the critical role of digital marketing tools for small businesses in the current economic climate. She noted many of the more than 2.5 million small businesses across Australia don't have the expertise, budget or time to market their businesses.

"Now is a critical time for small businesses to focus on driving new customers and loyalty amongst their existing customer base if they are to weather the economic storm. Small businesses can leverage tools like Constant Contact to take on the bulk of the marketing grunt work for them," she said. "The power of AI is undeniable and anyone from a local florist to an automotive dealership or not-for-profit can utilise this kind of technology in seconds with a secure and reliable platform like Constant Contact."

Constant Contact offers free trials of its digital and email marketing platform, providing an opportunity for businesses to explore the benefits of automation and AI in their marketing strategies.