After launching our inaugural AdTech Economic Forum in April 2024, we heard one consistent piece of feedback: “Go deeper.” So we did. We created the ATEF Pod to unpack ideas, insights, and challenges raised by each of our 34 speakers in one-on-one interviews.
We’ve recorded 17 interviews so far and published the first 12 interviews directly on Substack in beta mode. Now we’re officially out of beta. All 17 interviews are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for your listening pleasure.
Silver Lining: Some of the episodes were recorded a few months ago, which is why we frame the pod as “beta.” That gave us space to tune our scheduling, operations, and figure out how to move from recording to publishing at the speed our audience demands.
The silver lining of being in beta with seemingly stale recordings is that listening back in hindsight actually makes these conversations even more interesting. You can hear not only where the market was headed, but also how right (or wrong) we were in predicting from a position of pre-tariffs, pre-Google DOJ, and pre-cookie changes.
Going forward, we’ll keep interviewing all of our ATEF speakers. We have a lot of ground to cover from our amazingly unique ATEF venture-founder pitch format that took place in London in February, as well as our smashingly successful “Davos of AdTech” experience at the New York Times Center in March.
A huge thank you to our podcast sponsors
Thanks to Yahoo, Rise, and Above Data for supporting conversations that drive enlightenment and move our industry forward!
Ep. 13 — Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman, S4 Capital / Media.Monks
Sir Martin shares a wide-angle perspective on global competition in AI, highlighting the intensifying race between the U.S., China, and the Middle East. He reflects on how economic and political volatility—from Trump to Musk to global macro trends—shapes the advertising landscape. The episode covers the ongoing cycle of creative destruction that defines the industry, the shifting relevance of mobile as CTV and AI gain traction, and how inflation, policy, and speed are now critical levers in strategic decision-making.
Ep. 14 — Paul Bannister, Chief Strategy Officer, Raptive
Paul digs into the rapidly evolving publisher landscape. He explains why traffic diversification has become essential, especially with AI content scraping, referral algorithms, and how Pinterest could emerge as a powerful alternative to traditional traffic sources. Paul also explores the evolution of the sales house model, the enduring importance of identity resolution (especially in CTV), and the nuanced challenges of sell-side curation. He closes with insights on M&A trends, the rising importance of data quality, and how AI innovation drives step-change efficiencies across adtech.
Ep. 15 — Alysa Hutnik Partner, Kelley Drye, Privacy & Advertising Law
Alysa outlines the shifting legal landscape where privacy best practices are giving way to regulatory enforcement. She explains how privacy compliance is now a core driver of M&A valuation and how outdated ("vintage") ad tech systems are becoming a liability. Misconceptions around consent are common, and she urges companies to get serious about ID matching for privacy compliance. The interview also explores the tradeoffs of walled gardens, the need to articulate clear value exchanges with consumers, and the industry’s overdue shift from privacy-washing to real accountability.
Ep. 16 — Marc Guldimann, CEO & Co-Founder, Adelaide Metrics
Marc discusses how adtech companies are expanding their remit beyond monetization to traffic generation and performance optimization. He draws connections between traffic, CPM, and revenue, and challenges the assumption that all programmatic is created equal. Investors, he notes, are paying closer attention to how privacy constraints shape data longevity and long-term value. He also raises thoughtful concerns about brand safety incentives that may suppress cultural relevance and explains how ad effectiveness metrics can sometimes compromise content quality in the pursuit of “better” KPIs.
Ep. 17 — Ramsey McGrory, Chief Development Officer, Mediaocean
Ramsey thinks in decades, not years. In this interview, Ramsey walks through the foundational shifts toward data-driven, automated, cross-channel advertising powered by AI. He points out that many players still operate like IO-based ad networks, rather than true SaaS platforms, and suggests how and why this distinction matters. Distribution, he argues, is power: Those who control channels will shape the future. For example, despite the hype, linear TV isn’t dead but merely decelerating. He concludes with a forward-looking idea: the 2020s might be the “decade of efficacy,” where success hinges on both efficiency (cost) and effectiveness (outcomes).
Ep. 18 — Matt Sanchez, President, Yahoo!
In this episode, Matt Sanchez from Yahoo, we dig into how one of the most iconic internet brands is revitalizing its brand with high-profile moves like a Super Bowl ad and a renewed focus on its 30th anniversary, backed by a structural realignment that prioritizes consumer-centric product development across Yahoo Finance, Sports, and Mail. The company is harnessing AI not just for search but to power more personalized, utility-driven experiences across its platforms. With roughly 75% of ad impressions reaching logged-in users, Yahoo boasts one of the industry’s strongest identity graphs, enabling highly targeted advertising. Its advertising strategy has shifted toward smarter, audience-based campaigns, particularly via its DSP, which is central to its Connected TV efforts. Yahoo also emphasizes practical content and embraces the creator economy through initiatives such as "Yahoo Creators," recognizing the growing influence of individual voices in media.
Enjoy the pods!
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