Google is telling clients that it can help them beat the recession and is urging them not to turn their backs on digital advertising as the economy slumps, according to its most senior executive outside the US.

Nikesh Arora, the senior vice-president in charge of Google’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will tell an Ofcom conference in London on Thursday that the internet cannot make businesses recession-proof, but it can help make them more recession-resistant.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Arora said: “We are making a very explicit pitch to clients about using the internet to speed up in a slowdown. We want to make sure people don’t sacrifice the digital imperative because of other issues in their business.”

Read it here