Manchester-based affiliate marketing company R.O.EYE has appointed Nicky Iapino as commercial director and is adding new staff to its account management team.

Iapino, a former AdLINK Europe managing director, was recently appointed a non-executive director at R.O.EYE but will now take up a full-time role responsible for strategy alongside managing director Mark Kuhillow.

Three account managers covering affiliate recruitment, programme management and technical support have been hired and two others are being recruited.

The recruitment drive comes on the back of recent new business wins, the company said, including Virgin Holidays last month. It already handles affiliate activity for Scholl, eBay and Santander.

Kuhillow said: "Our expansion is a direct result of growing corporate demand for affiliate marketing. Budgets are back and the current market appetite for performance advertising is high.

"Nick's expertise will help us to realise our long-term growth plans, and when all new staff are in place this will take numbers up to around 20 people."

Digital veteran and former Wheel CEO Philip Hunt remains a non-executive director of the company's board.