Michael Gregg appointed Trade Me advertising director Trade Me has appointed Wellington IT entrepreneur, speaking circuit raconteur and advertising boss Michael Gregg as its new advertising director. Gregg says he will take up the position on September 10 and will manage advertising for the Fairfax-owned company across all its websites. The role, which will take care of display advertising across the sites, is a new one for the company. A Trade Me spokesman said that after such rapid growth, the company realised it needed someone who could effectively network with advertisers. "It has taken three months to find a candidate with the right combination of senior advertising experience, a knowledge of online markets and someone who would be a good fit with Trade Me," he said. Gregg said he is "stoked" at the appointment. "Trade Me is a glamour brand. I've worked in advertising and IT, and this sits nicely in between," he said. Gregg has a 10-year advertising background, but is also a past board member of the New Zealand Wireless Forum and the former chairman of young ICT professionals group, Unlimited Potential. For five years until 2006, he was founding chief executive of Wellington telecommunications technology company, MediaLab, but returned to advertising in April last year as interactive director of local agency, Clemenger BBDO. Trade Me is the largest internet auction website in New Zealand and was sold to Fairfax in 2006 for $700 million. It has several sister sites, including Find Someone, Old Friends, Safe Trader and smaps.