His appointment is being billed as “phase one” of a larger “Retail 3.0 solution” to be rolled out this autumn by Mediabrands, the media management unit of Interpublic.

Ross will be responsible for re-purposing and re-staging the lab to bring emerging media thinking together with retail knowledge and expertise – the ultimate goal being to deliver new technology solutions which drive tangible results for brands at the retail level, the company said.

“This is a necessary fusion of skills and experience to help reinvent strategic planning as it stands today,” said Mediabrands president and CEO Nick Brien.

Senior vice president Lori Schwartz will continue to manage the lab, working with Ross.