Charles Coxhead

Digital & Agency Leadership | Digital Strategy & Innovation

Auckland, New Zealand · +64 21 807 829 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/charlescoxhead

Executive profile

Digital agency and business leader with a track record of building profitable specialist practices, developing multidisciplinary teams and advising senior clients. Co-founded Cross Border Digital and grew it into an international agency delivering integrated digital marketing programmes for B2B and consumer brands.

Combines strategic thinking and commercial judgement with hands-on digital expertise. Experienced in strengthening client partnerships, building team capability, improving delivery processes and turning emerging technologies, including AI search, into practical opportunities for clients.

Selected leadership achievements

• Co-founded and grew Cross Border Digital to more than 30 people across Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Manila and Auckland, generating mid-seven-figure annual revenue.
• Built iProspect Auckland’s SEO practice into a profitable revenue stream, serving major New Zealand brands and supporting international client programmes.
• Developed cross-functional capabilities spanning SEO, SEM, AI search, social media, online reputation and web development for multi-market client programmes.
• Led teams and complex digital operations at Netconcepts and Shell, including an NZ office of 20+ people and global programmes spanning Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Professional experience

Cross Border Digital

Co-founder & Managing Director | Mar 2017 – Present | Shenzhen / Auckland

International agency supporting primarily Chinese B2B and DTC brands with digital marketing and overseas market expansion.

• Set the agency’s strategy and commercial direction, developing service capabilities and leading international delivery across paid, owned and emerging AI-led channels.
• Built and led a distributed team across five locations; recruited and developed specialists to deliver multilingual, multi-region programmes.
• Acted as a senior adviser to founders, CMOs and regional leaders, connecting growth objectives with channel strategies, team priorities and performance reporting.
• Oversaw client and delivery operations across the US, Europe, North Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, coordinating specialists and execution across markets.

Relevance & Intent

Partner | Sep 2020 – Present | Auckland

Specialist search and digital consultancy serving brands and agency partners.

• Advise on enterprise SEO, AI search visibility, digital strategy and technical performance, working with client teams and external delivery partners.

iProspect (Dentsu)

Head of Owned Media | Aug 2014 – Feb 2017 | Auckland

Joined the agency with an established client portfolio and developed its organic search practice with the backing of the Dentsu group.

• Grew SEO into a profitable revenue stream, combining new business development, senior client relationships and specialist delivery.
• Led digital and organic search strategy for major New Zealand brands including The Warehouse Group and Air New Zealand.
• Supported New Zealand execution of international client campaigns, including General Motors; partnered with wider agency teams to deliver coordinated client solutions.

Netconcepts

General Manager, New Zealand | Apr 2007 – Mar 2010 | Auckland

Led the New Zealand business of an international digital agency serving Australasian clients and supporting US operations.

• Managed a team of more than 20 people, including 11 direct reports, with accountability for operations, commercial development, client relationships and service delivery.
• Worked with clients including Air New Zealand, Westpac, Bayleys, realestate.co.nz and Expedia; the eLong.cn relationship contributed to establishment of a Beijing office.

House of Travel

Online Marketing Manager | Jan 2006 – Mar 2007 | Auckland

Managed the digital marketing mix for houseoftravel.co.nz, one of New Zealand’s leading online travel businesses.

Shell Oil Products

Global eBusiness Manager | Jan – Sep 2005 | Auckland

Led adoption of global B2B eBusiness applications, with direct reports across Asia and Europe.

Shell Chemicals

eBusiness Lead | Jul 2001 – Apr 2004 | Houston, USA

Led global rollout of Shell Chemicals’ customer-facing extranet and digital sales channel, coordinating stakeholders and implementation across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Core capabilities

• Agency & commercial leadership: Practice growth, senior client partnerships, new business, operations, team leadership, mentoring and delivery governance.
• Digital strategy & innovation: Integrated digital planning, SEO, paid search, AI search, social, content, web platforms, marketing technology and channel development.
• Analytics & international delivery: Performance measurement, reporting, multi-market campaigns, localisation and cross-functional coordination.

Education

• Master’s Degree, International Management | Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2003
• Bachelor’s Degree, Economic History | Victoria University of Wellington, 1994