Chris Saridakis Lands at GSI Commerce, Left Gannett's Top Digital Spot

Chris Saridakis, Gannett’s outbound chief digital officer and a former top dog at PointRoll, has been named CEO of the marketing services segment at GSI Commerce. GSI provides e-commerce and digital marketing services to enterprise customers such as Calvin Klein, Dick’s Sporting Goods, PBS, and Godiva.

In the role, Saridakis will oversee two of GSI’s business units: e-Dialog, an e-mail marketing provider, and TrueAction, a digital agency. TrueAction offers media, creative, and technology services and is run by Nick Pahade, the former president of Denuo and founder of early-wave digital agency Beyond Interactive. The company also owns two outside businesses: Pepperjam, an affiliate marketing network, and design firm Silverlign Group.

GSI’s digital marketing segment now employs roughly 800, the company said. But it appears likely to go considerably higher than that. In a statement yesterday, GSI noted Saridakis will handle future acquisitions, hires, and geographic expansion.

At Gannett, Saridakis has risen rapidly through the ranks since joining the publishing company through its 2005 acquisition of rich media firm PointRoll, where he was COO. He was later promoted to CEO at PointRoll, and in 2008 became SVP and chief digital officer for the parent company. In that role, he oversaw the company’s aggressive investments in digital media and services, including its buyout of fellow stakeholders in online circular provider ShopLocal, its purchase of a controlling stake in CareerBuilder, and its acquisition of Ripple6, a social media service firm.

He starts with GSI on May 17, 2010.