MrBeast is expanding his ops team in a big way. Former YouTube, Meta, and TikTok exec Beau Avril is joining as his new Senior Vice President and Global Head of Media & Brand Partnerships.
“TikTok has been a truly extraordinary chapter in my career,” Avril wrote on LinkedIn. “It’s one that has been filled with creativity, innovation, and most importantly, amazing people. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside some of the industry’s best, launching market-moving solutions that have delivered incredible success for brands, creators and publishers!”
Avril joined TikTok in March 2024 as its Director of Global Product Solutions for Brand & Video, and by the time he left to head for Camp MrBeast, he was Director of Global Product Solutions for Agency & Accounts.
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He also spent two years as Director of Product Marketing at Meta, and from 2017 to 2019 was YouTube’s Global Head of Sales & Business Operations for the influencer marketing hub that used to be called FameBit, and is now BrandConnect.
YouTube’s parent Google acquired FameBit in October 2016, after the startup caught its attention by spawning over 25,000 sponsored videos. FameBit’s main function was serving as a matchup marketplace where creators and brands could find one another for partnerships. The following summer, Google installed Avril as FameBit’s lead, where he oversaw all business operations, expanded the platform from self-service to full-service, and snagged partners like Hershey’s, Nike, Calvin Klein, Procter & Gamble, and Warner Bros. He left in 2019, just before FameBit was renamed BrandConnect. (And BrandConnect is still receiving tweaks, btw; YouTube recently announced some new improvements for campaign management and analysis.)
We already knew MrBeast, like other top creators, is seeking weightier brand partnerships. In recent weeks, for example, he debuted an ongoing, multivideo sponsorship with jerky brand Jack Link’s. And considering he’s already (charitably) monetizing Beast Games 2 by charging people $100K to tour the set, he might be looking for brands to sponsor content around that production, too.
But bringing in someone of Avril’s pedigree to lead media and brand partnerships shows MrBeast is likely not only looking at sponsorships for YouTube content–he’s also eyeing long-term relationships with streamers like Prime Video.
“Joining MrBeast is an incredible opportunity to combine my passions for creator-driven media, innovative brand partnerships, product marketing, cross-platform solutions, and building high-performing organizations,” Avril said. “I’m so incredibly excited to join a company that is at the forefront of reshaping entertainment and brand engagement, led by the world’s largest and most influential creator Jimmy Donaldson […] I’m truly inspired by the commitment that this team has to one-of-a-kind storytelling, philanthropy, and to making a positive difference in the world.”
