Monahan joins the lab from sister company Universal McCann, where he spent eight years and was most recently senior vice president and social media global lead. In 2006, he was drafted in to help launch the Emerging Media Lab.

In his new role he will lead the lab’s ongoing consulting, product development, training and marketing services and will launch annual Media Trials, where clients can compare new products with existing technology.

Coinciding with Monahan’s appointment, the Emerging Media Lab has partnered with Mediabrands’ Greenhaus program, which is designed to help accelerate the development of emerging companies.

Firms that sign up to the program are granted access to Mediabrands’ marketing expertise, media resources and services.