S2E10: The Open Exchange | Adtech Should Disappear

Müge Fazlıoğlu, Principal Researcher for Privacy Law and Policy at the IAPP, joins Greg and Geoff to explore the growing risks businesses face as decades-old privacy laws are applied to modern data collection practices, and what leaders need to do to stay ahead.Can consumers really make informed choices about their data? And how should leaders balance business interests, consumer trust, and legal risks when the rules are constantly changing?Have a perspective, a topic, or a story you think belongs on Leadership In? Email us leadershipinpodcast (at) gmail (dot) com.

Greg and Geoff explore how AI agents could reshape the advertising agency business model, from how agencies get paid to who controls media buying decisions.If AI can plan, buy, and optimize advertising, what value do agencies bring? And could DSPs eventually cut out the middleman and work directly with brands?Have a perspective, a topic, or a story you think belongs on Leadership In? Email us at leadershipinpodcast (at) gmail (dot) com.

Nick Jordan, founder of Narrative, joins Greg and Geoff for a candid conversation about building a company, finding the right people, and recognizing when it's time to bring in a leader with complementary strengths.Plus, how programmatic advertising inspired Narrative's approach to data, and why companies have gone from saying they have too much data to struggling to make sense of it.Feedback or guest suggestions? Leadershipinpodcast (at) gmail (dot) comDisclosure: Leadership In hosts and guests may hold financial interests in companies discussed in this episode, including Receptiv.

Mathieu Roche, co-founder and CEO of ID5, joins Greg and Geoff to talk about building a company around trust.Mathieu shares why ID5 has stayed fully remote, why he believes in action over risk avoidance, and what he’s learned about stepping back as a founder and trusting his leadership team.Plus, a spirited debate about identity, informed consent, and the value exchange that keeps the open web open.Feedback or guest suggestions? Leadershipinpodcast (at) gmail (dot) com.

Greg and Geoff unpack Google's latest ad tech remedies and what they could mean for competition, interoperability, and the future of programmatic.Does an "open" exchange actually create more competition? And what does Google's continued dominance tell us about where the market is heading?Have a perspective, a topic, or a story you think belongs on Leadership In? Email us leadershipinpodcast (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Ken Rona, Chief AI Officer at JWX, joins Greg and Geoff to share a glimpse under the hood of JWX's AI transformation.Ken shares how projects that once took a year are now taking four weeks, why getting people to work differently is the harder part, and where he thinks AI is taking the ad tech stack.Plus a quick look at Ken's unlikely path from rock-band sound engineer to Chief AI Officer.And check out Ken's Refacto newsletter.

If you’re thinking about becoming an independent  consultant, this episode is for you.Geoff and Greg trade the usual interview format for a three-way roundtable with fellow independent consultant James Deaker, aka The Yield Doctor, founder of Korukea Media. James spent decades in pricing and yield leadership roles at Yahoo, Verizon, and Microsoft before going independent, and he currently splits his time consulting for clients including Lyft.Solo or team? Consultant, advisor, or fractional? How is AI impacting consulting? The three compare notes and share their honest pros, cons, and best advice for anyone thinking about making the leap.Resources mentioned:David A. Fields ConsultingMyLance / Bradley JacobsFractionals United

In every guest interview, Greg and Geoff ask guests what they want their legacy to be. This week, they reflect on the life and legacy of Dolly Parton, a talented musician, actor, comedian, entrepreneur and philanthropist. And someone who wanted to be remembered for books.  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - https://imaginationlibrary.com/

Geoff and Greg sit down with Pamela Slea, Chief Executive Officer at Boltive, a digital security and privacy compliance company, who took the top job after building a career across Google, Criteo, AppNexus, Index Exchange, and InMobi.Pamela shares how she built her career starting from a Google temp job, how she never really had a mentor pulling her through the ranks, and how she's steering a small, AI-native team through the shift from programmatic to agentic transactions. Plus her take on where the industry got consumer privacy wrong the first time, and why she's not afraid to hire her own best friend.

The Open Exchange welcomes our first guest: adtech executive, investor and advisor Lewis Rothkopf joins Greg and Geoff to make the case that the best technology is invisible, and that the industry should spend less time on the plumbing and more on the outcomes it enables. Follow the show and subscribe to our newsletter at leadershipinpodcast.com. Questions or feedback: [email protected].