Spafax Leadership Q&A Series – Mark Wright

Spafax Spotlight: Meet the Spafax Thought Leaders

Meet The Spafax Thought Leaders is our Q&A series highlighting the people behind Spafax – what they do, how they think, and where they see the industry going. From day-to-day operations to big-picture strategy, these conversations offer a window into the ideas shaping our work.

Mark Wright – Senior Vice President Global Development – Media, Partnerships & Insights

Mark Wright joined Spafax in 2025 as SVP Global Development – Media, Partnerships & Insights after more than two decades leading high-performance digital, programmatic, and video advertising teams across Europe. With deep experience in data-driven strategy, global sales leadership, and cross-channel media innovation, Mark brings a fresh commercial perspective to airline media at a pivotal moment for the industry. His work centres on helping Spafax and its partners unlock new digital opportunities by activating the full value of first-party travel data.

Interesting fact about Mark
Mark is a trained musician and studied music at university. He has written and recorded several songs – and even had tracks selected as “Record of the Day” on BBC Introducing.

Mark, you recently joined Spafax after a long career in digital advertising. What drew you to this industry and to Spafax?

I see the aviation industry as the last major sector still to truly embrace digital transformation, and I wanted to be part of that shift. After more than 25 years working in digital and, importantly, in data, I knew I had a lot to offer. Airlines have incredible potential locked up in their data – and the opportunity to help bring that to life was a huge draw.

How would you describe your focus in this role? Which opportunities excite you most?

My main focus has been onboarding and activating data. As a business, we work with companies that hold some of the richest data assets in the world, and we know how valuable this is to WPP clients and brands globally. The opportunity is twofold: enriching advertisers with better insights, and creating new ancillary revenue streams for airlines through more intelligent, data-led media.

You’ve spent more than two decades in digital media and ad tech. What lessons are you bringing into the inflight space?

The biggest lesson is simple: if you stay still, you go backwards very quickly. Digital, adtech, and data ecosystems move at incredible speed – they wait for nobody. Companies have to evolve constantly. That mindset translates directly into airline media, where the pace of transformation is only accelerating.

How do you see airline media evolving, and what can brands learn from how people engage with content while travelling?

Airline media will evolve dramatically once the industry has the tools to harness and activate its data. From an advertiser’s perspective, it’s a complete no-brainer — airlines have a uniquely rich, permissioned data pool. And for passengers, it’s a win-win. Tailored content and personalised experiences will lead the way, just as they have across digital channels on the ground.

Spafax already helps airlines and brands understand their audiences. How can better insights unlock new opportunities?

Spafax has been leading with data for years. We’ve built the world’s largest travel data lake, which helps us make better decisions across every part of our business. Today, most of that data comes from third-party sources, but the future is in activating first-party airline data. That’s how we’ll attract more digital-first advertisers and make faster, more precise decisions based on the right message, to the right person, at the right moment.

Where do you see the next wave of growth in travel media and brand partnerships?

It all comes back to data. Travel is the last major industry still to fully join the data-first, digital-first world – and the growth curve once it does will be exponential. Airlines can prepare now, and Spafax will continue to lead the way. The landscape will look very different as new technology and methodologies unlock what’s possible.

You’ve led international sales teams before. What’s your philosophy for motivating people and building strong commercial cultures?

You have to give teams the freedom to express themselves. From the most junior team member to the CEO, everyone has a voice. Good leadership means listening to those voices — some of the best ideas come from the least expected places. I’ve always felt motivated when people listen to me, and I hope my teams feel the same.

As passenger expectations evolve, which changes stand out most — and where does Spafax fit in?

Connectivity is the biggest shift this industry has ever seen. We’re moving toward free Wi-Fi becoming the norm across airlines, and that changes everything. It opens the door for deeper engagement, more personalised experiences, and significantly more sophisticated media opportunities — all areas where Spafax is well positioned to lead.

And finally, you’ll be speaking at the upcoming APEX TECH 2026 panel on January 28. What will you be focusing on there?

“This panel discussion is incredibly relevant to the work we’re doing at Spafax. The engineering behind next-generation IFEC systems, especially how we integrate and activate rich data for real-time personalization and targeted advertising, is crucial. It’s about harnessing advanced technology to create a seamless, data-driven ecosystem that not only elevates the passenger experience but also unlocks significant new revenue streams for airlines.”

Catch Mark at APEX TECH 2026

Panel: Engineering the Next Generation of Connected Travel – Performance, Data Integration, and Intelligent IFEC Systems

Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | 1:45 pm – 2:30 pm

Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA