With more than 25 years of experience across the UK, global, Australian, and New Zealand markets, Alex has been at the forefront of digital, search, programmatic, and data-led media. He has consistently focused on how technology and data can be used to drive better decisions — not just more activity.
Since launching D3 in 2018, Alex has helped grow the business from a two-person start-up into a team of more than twenty-five specialists across media strategy, planning and buying, performance, SEO, and analytics. Under his leadership, D3 has built a reputation for clarity, accountability, and delivering measurable business outcomes.
Alex is also Chair of Independent Media Agencies New Zealand (IMANZ), where he advocates for a stronger, more transparent media industry. His focus is on elevating the role of independent agencies, improving standards, and ensuring New Zealand businesses have access to world-class strategic thinking.
Originally from the UK, Alex holds a Bachelor's in French & Political Science and has been based in Auckland since 2007.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys travelling, hiking, and discovering great restaurants. He is also a keen collector of watches and has a strong appreciation for design — something reflected in D3’s City Works Depot office.
He is currently focused on building the next phase of D3: a more innovative, data-led, and AI-enabled media agency designed for how modern marketing actually works.
Articles by Alex Radford
See AllWhy Choose D3
The media landscape has shifted fundamentally. Cookies are disappearing. Audiences are fragmented across more platforms than ever. And proving that your spend actually drove a result has never been harder. These aren’t future problems — they’re today’s reality. A reality that D3 was created to solve.
AI Won't Steal Your Job, But Marketers Who Use It Will
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are rapidly transforming marketing by automating content creation and boosting productivity. However, relying solely on AI risks producing generic content that can dilute a brand's unique voice and erode consumer trust. The most effective approach is a "human-guided" model, where marketers leverage AI as a powerful assistant for drafting and ideation while providing the essential strategic oversight, creativity, and quality assurance to ensure the final output is both authentic and commercially effective. This allows teams to scale content production without sacrificing the integrity and personality that define their brand.
Don't Dismiss the Scroll: The Unavoidable ROI of Short-Form Video
Many experienced marketers are rightly sceptical of platforms that seem to prioritise vanity metrics like likes and views. However, the data shows that short-form video has evolved into a powerful performance channel. The key is to measure success with commercial outcomes, not just engagement. A strategic approach focuses on metrics like cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), and direct revenue. With social commerce expected to represent over 17% of online sales by 2026, these platforms offer a direct path from discovery to purchase.
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