Management Team
Chris Copeland Senior Partner, Global Director
Chris Copeland is Sr. Partner and Managing Director of Outrider, the leading global search marketing consultancy, where he provides strategic vision and stewardship of the company both within the WPP network of companies and in the external marketing space. Outrider is a WPP company and the designated search marketing agency of GroupM, WPP's media buying and planning arm.
A 10-year veteran of the industry, Chris has been involved in search marketing since its inception, consulting for clients including IBM, Sears, Xerox, Brinks, Microsoft, and other industry-leading organizations.
In 1996, Chris joined Webster Group International (WGI), the very first search marketing firm. During his time with WGI, Chris was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing, and was later named Vice President of the company. During his leadership, WGI was named one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies by Deloitte & Touche for two consecutive years. In 1999, WGI was acquired by the British holding company, Tempus Group. Chris was named Managing Director of WGI in 2001 and helped lead the organization through its acquisition that same year by WPP, a renowned, award-winning global media organization. A year later, he lead the re-branding of WGI as it became the first search marketing agency within a major holding company and the leading search marketing consultancy it is today - Outrider.
Chris' vast experience of the online marketplace and guidance of clients and search marketing professionals through the evolution of search marketing earned him the role of Partner within Mediaedge:cia in 2003. Two years later, he was named Sr. Partner and currently leads the organization, which is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., with offices in 14 countries.
Industry attention has been on Chris throughout his career. He is an active member of the Yahoo!, Google and MSN Search Advisory Councils, and is a member of the AAAA Search Engine Marketing Council. Chris was recognized as a 4-Star Speaker for Search Engine Strategies, the top industry trade show. He was Managing Director for the Sears account, for which Outrider received the prestigious "Partner in Progress Award" in 2004, a distinction awarded by the retailer to less than one percent of more then 10,000 vendors for superior service. In 2001, he was featured as one of St. Louis' "30 Under 30" by the St. Louis Business Journal, an award that recognizes the city's top professionals under the age of 30 who are making a mark on in the business world.
Chris is an active speaker worldwide on topics related to search marketing and consumer-driven media, and is a monthly contributing columnist for The Search Insider, MediaPost's weekly online newsletter.
A graduate of Webster University, Chris received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and TV Journalism and Minor in Sports Journalism.
Chris Copeland is Sr. Partner and Managing Director of Outrider, the leading global search marketing consultancy, where he provides strategic vision and stewardship of the company both within the WPP network of companies and in the external marketing space. Outrider is a WPP company and the designated search marketing agency of GroupM, WPP's media buying and planning arm.
A 10-year veteran of the industry, Chris has been involved in search marketing since its inception, consulting for clients including IBM, Sears, Xerox, Brinks, Microsoft, and other industry-leading organizations.
In 1996, Chris joined Webster Group International (WGI), the very first search marketing firm. During his time with WGI, Chris was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing, and was later named Vice President of the company. During his leadership, WGI was named one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies by Deloitte & Touche for two consecutive years. In 1999, WGI was acquired by the British holding company, Tempus Group. Chris was named Managing Director of WGI in 2001 and helped lead the organization through its acquisition that same year by WPP, a renowned, award-winning global media organization. A year later, he lead the re-branding of WGI as it became the first search marketing agency within a major holding company and the leading search marketing consultancy it is today - Outrider.
Chris' vast experience of the online marketplace and guidance of clients and search marketing professionals through the evolution of search marketing earned him the role of Partner within Mediaedge:cia in 2003. Two years later, he was named Sr. Partner and currently leads the organization, which is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., with offices in 14 countries.
Industry attention has been on Chris throughout his career. He is an active member of the Yahoo!, Google and MSN Search Advisory Councils, and is a member of the AAAA Search Engine Marketing Council. Chris was recognized as a 4-Star Speaker for Search Engine Strategies, the top industry trade show. He was Managing Director for the Sears account, for which Outrider received the prestigious "Partner in Progress Award" in 2004, a distinction awarded by the retailer to less than one percent of more then 10,000 vendors for superior service. In 2001, he was featured as one of St. Louis' "30 Under 30" by the St. Louis Business Journal, an award that recognizes the city's top professionals under the age of 30 who are making a mark on in the business world.
Chris is an active speaker worldwide on topics related to search marketing and consumer-driven media, and is a monthly contributing columnist for The Search Insider, MediaPost's weekly online newsletter.
A graduate of Webster University, Chris received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and TV Journalism and Minor in Sports Journalism.