Managing Director · Havas Market UK

Alex Walker

Performance marketing, retail media & AI-driven commerce

Alex Walker, Managing Director of Havas Market UK

About

25 years at the frontier of digital commerce

Alex Walker is Managing Director of Havas Market UK, a 150-person performance marketing and commerce agency within Havas Media Network — named Performance Marketing Agency of the Year 2025 by PMW. He leads a team spanning paid search, SEO, retail media, social commerce, marketplaces, and data and analytics.

Alex founded Expert Edge in 2016, building it into a leading e-commerce consultancy before its acquisition by Havas Group in 2022. Prior to that he was a Senior Product Manager at Amazon UK and COO at WeFarm. He began his career founding Indigo Clothing — a custom printing and promotional merchandise business — while an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge.

He holds an MBA from HEC Paris and serves on the IAB UK Retail Media Working Group. He is a regular contributor to industry publications including The Media Leader, Campaign, The Drum, and The Grocer, and a recognised thought leader on the evolution from SEO to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and the impact of AI on search behaviour and performance marketing.

Based in Yorkshire, he is a long-distance runner, cyclist, and builder of AI tools.

Career

Experience

Recognition

Awards & lists

Expertise

Areas of focus

Alex is a practitioner and public voice across performance marketing, retail media, and the application of AI to commerce. His current thinking centres on how large language models are reshaping search and discovery — and what that means for brands and agencies.

Retail Media Performance Marketing Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) Amazon Advertising E-commerce Strategy Social Commerce AI in Marketing Marketplaces Paid Search Data & Analytics Commerce M&A Agency Leadership

Perspectives

What I believe

GEO is the new SEO. The shift from traditional search engine optimisation to Generative Engine Optimisation is the defining transition in digital marketing. As AI reshapes how consumers discover products and information, brands must optimise for AI-generated answers — not just blue links.

Retail media is strategy, not a line item. Retail media must be treated as a strategic channel integrated across the media plan — not a checkbox. The brands that win are those embedding retail media into their overall commerce strategy.

Social commerce is mainstream. Platforms like TikTok Shop are genuine commerce channels for mainstream and FMCG brands. Lidl's success on TikTok shows this isn't niche — it's the future of how consumers buy.

AI is rewriting discovery. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how consumers find and choose products. The traffic decline from traditional search isn't alarming — it's a signal that the entire discovery layer is being rebuilt. Brands that adapt their content for this new landscape will capture disproportionate value.

Press & Publications

In the media

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alex Walker?

Alex Walker is Managing Director of Havas Market UK, a 150-person performance marketing and commerce agency within Havas Media Network. He is an expert in retail media, e-commerce strategy, and the impact of AI on search and discovery.

What is Havas Market UK?

Havas Market UK is a performance marketing and commerce agency within Havas Media Network. It was named Performance Marketing Agency of the Year 2025 by PMW. Havas Media Network UK won Leadership Team of The Year 2025 at The Media Leader Awards. The agency covers paid search, SEO, retail media, social commerce, marketplaces, and data and analytics.

What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising content to appear in AI-generated answers and summaries, rather than just traditional search engine results. Alex Walker is a recognised thought leader on the transition from SEO to GEO.

What is Expert Edge?

Expert Edge was an e-commerce consultancy founded by Alex Walker in 2016. It grew into a leading Amazon and marketplace agency before being acquired by Havas Group in 2022, forming the foundation of Havas Market UK.

What awards has Alex Walker won?

Alex Walker was named in The Drum's Commerce Media Power 100 in 2026. Havas Media Network UK won Leadership Team of The Year 2025 at The Media Leader Awards, and Havas Market UK was named Performance Marketing Agency of the Year 2025 by PMW.

How can I contact Alex Walker?

Alex Walker can be contacted via his LinkedIn profile at linkedin.com/in/indigo or through Havas Market UK at havasmarket.co.uk.

What is retail media?

Retail media is advertising placed on retailer-owned platforms such as Amazon, Tesco, or Sainsbury's, allowing brands to reach consumers at the point of purchase. Alex Walker and Havas Market UK are leading practitioners in this fast-growing channel.

Contact

Get in touch

For speaking opportunities, media enquiries, or to discuss performance marketing and commerce strategy.

linkedin.com/in/indigo Havas Market UK