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Marco Bertozzi, Spotify’s EMEA advertising sales boss, is departing after four years.

During his tenure, Bertozzi stabilised and expanded Spotify’s operations, after the audio platform had previously made a string of short-lived leadership appointments in the UK, its biggest market after the US.

Spotify UK won Sales Team of the Year at the 2020 Media Week Awards and was highly commended for Commercial Team of the Year at last year's ��������pk10 Media Awards. 

Bertozzi had previously spent two decades in agency roles, chiefly at Publicis Media’s Zenith, Starcom and Performics, in the UK and globally.

He announced on LinkedIn that he is leaving Spotify as vice-president, EMEA, sales and multi-market sales.

“I have achieved what I set out to do and it’s now a good time to think about the future AND take a Zoom break,” Bertozzi wrote, adding that “top of my agenda is looking for my next role”.

He said: “I have had an amazing four years at Spotify, but now it is time for something new. I was hired by Spotify to put us on the map in the media industry both in the UK and across the EMEA region. 

“We have been on a journey to up-level the team and service to where we are today. I feel very good about having achieved that goal and I am so excited for the hires in place today. 

“I was never happier to be part of Media Week Sales Team of the Year award win last year. That felt like a real proverbial bow on the last four years.”

Bertozzi, who turns 49 this month, added: “No-one is done with me yet (all around groans)! I may dip my toe in the mythical land of consultancy as well! I would love to talk to any of you about what those possibilities could be.”

A Spotify spokesperson confirmed Bertozzi's departure.

The brand makes most of its revenue from subscriptions, but ad sales play an important role in attracting free users and generate about 10% of turnover.

Spotify's share price has more than doubled since the start of 2020 because of the streaming boom during Covid-19.

Ad sales returned to growth in the third quarter after a decline in the second quarter and were on course to grow faster in the final quarter, Daniel Ek, founder and chief executive, said on its last earnings call. 

“While of course we care about advertising, it’s still a relatively small part of the overall revenue pool,” he added.