Thursday, April 30th, 2015

ThinkTank I: Admiralty Room

11:05 AM - 12:20 PM

Strategies in Advertising: Programmatic Buying, Targeting, Analytics and Contextual Media

Sheridan Orr Senior Director of Product Marketing, Conductor

Michael Hannon, VP, Yield and Revenue Optimization, Purch

James Ackerman, Executive Chairman, Broadway Systems

Harpreet Singh, CEO, Kvantum

Christopher Curtis, VP Product and Operations, Connexity

Mark Osborne, VP of Sales & marketing, CitizenNet

Sean Malatesta, CEO, Micasa Multi-Platform TV Network, Moderator

Michael Hannon, VP, Yield and Revenue Optimization, Purch; Michael Hannon is a senior executive with over 15 years of professional experience specifically focused within digital advertising & technology. A proven leader with strategic operational experience helping organizations achieve fast growth in revenue and product. As VP, Yield and Revenue Optimization for Purch, Michael is responsible for managing Purch's advertising operations and inventory, leading content monetization strategies across a growing stable of premium technology and science properties, that now includes world-renowned tech brands Tom’s Hardware, Tom’s Guide and Tom’s IT Pro. Leading both premium sold and programmatic advertising fronts, ensuring that best of breed processes and products are in place to drive the highest yield possible across all existing and future properties. As General Manager for PulsePoint, Mr. Hannon was responsible for the development of strategies and provisioning of resources required to drive success and satisfaction across the company's unparalleled advertising and publishing client base. Prior to his tenure with PulsePoint, Mr. Hannon served as vice president of advertising operations at NBC Universal, where he was responsible for managing the operations for NBC Universal's ten owned and operated TV station websites. Mr. Hannon brings significant media and client management experience to his role and has held senior management positions at companies including PulsePoint, NBC Universal, About.com, Unicast and Direct Revenue.

JAMES ACKERMAN, Executive Chairman, Broadway Systems; James Ackerman is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience worldwide in leading advanced media companies. He was named Executive Chairman of Broadway Systems, a leading provider of software technology for cable television, IPTV and OTT networks, in September 2013. Broadway System’s clients include Scripps Networks (Food, HGTV, etc.), Fox News, BBC America, MLB Network, WWE Network, and dozens of others. Prior to joining Broadway Systems, Ackerman served as the President and CEO of Documentary Channel. During his tenure (May 2009 to October 2012) Ackerman led the company to sustainable profitability that resulted in its sale to Participant Media  In February 2005, Ackerman founded Spinnaker Media to develop innovative entertainment and digital media companies. In September 2008, he launched Spinnaker Media Fund I, a Delaware LP, for which he serves as General Partner. From April 2001 to May 2004, Ackerman served as Chief Executive Officer of OpenTV Corp (NASDAQ), having previously served as the company’s President and COO. During his career with OpenTV (August 2000 to December 2004), he led the company through a change in control ownership and the acquisition and integration of two publicly traded competitors and managed the company through a transition from a pure software vendor to one of the world’s leading providers of advanced interactive television technologies, applications, and services. Prior to OpenTV, from October 1995 to August 2000, Ackerman was with British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). He served in various capacities including Chief Executive Officer of British Interactive Broadcasting (a venture between BSkyB and BT) where he was responsible for the launch of the world’s first comprehensive interactive television service as part of Sky Digital. Ackerman also served as Managing Director of Sky Ventures, responsible for managing Sky’s portfolio of joint venture owned channels, including the British versions of Nickelodeon, Paramount Comedy Channel, History Channel, The National Geographic Channel and QVC. Ackerman’s additional career posts have included positions as Vice President of International Business Development at A&E Television Networks, where he facilitated the launch of the History Channel in the UK and Latin America; Vice President of Program Development for Hearst Entertainment; Director of Original Programming for The Family Channel; and an Account Supervisor at Grey Advertising. Ackerman is a Board Member of the International Documentary Association (IDA) and serves on the Board of Saving Innocence. He is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and lives with his family in Los Angeles, CA.

Mark Osborne, VP of Sales & marketing, CitizenNet:  Mark Osborne brings over 10 years of experience working with agencies and brands developing campaigns spanning traditional broadcast, paid search, display, and social media. Mark has been published in numerous trade publications and consults Wall Street Industry analysts to provide context on the rapidly changing social media / adtech landscape.  As VP of Marketing and Sales, Mark manages CitizenNet's content marketing, while working with strategic clients to maximize results with Facebook and Twitter. Mark has guest lectured on digital marketing at So Cal area colleges and earned an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Harpreet Singh is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Kvantum, a data science driven marketing performance & attribution company that enables advertisers to optimize paid, owned and earned media across offline & digital worlds. Prior to co-founding Kvantum, Harpreet managed the SapientNitro'  Marketing Platfrom practice in North America and helped Fortune 500 CPG, eCommerce & Retail companies to establish the digital marketing capabilities and engage with consumers across all touchpoints. Harpreet received his MBA from GSM University of California, Davis and B. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi India.

Christopher Curtis, VP Product and Operations, Connexity:  Christopher Curtis, known by his coworkers and industry partners as “CPC”, is a nearly decade-long veteran at Connexity (formerly Shopzilla).  After spending over seven years building and overseeing Shopzilla’s world class traffic acquisition operation, he made the transition to VP of Product & Operations, managing product development for Connexity’s programmatic display suite.  CPC brings a tremendous understanding of shopping, search and intent data, and is a proven and creative product innovator.  He’s a Stanford graduate.

Sean Malatesta, CEO, Marengo Knoll, Inc.: Sean Malatesta is a Global, results-focused and dynamic leader with a career showcased by a track record in exceptional sales and marketing contributions. His background is in videogames, movies and Hollywood. A relationship savvy executive with a keen ability to quickly access, and respond to client needs. A proven 20 year track-record building strategic relationships, identifying and executing on new business opportunities to maximizing revenue, and selling in ideas and negotiating deals with top decision makers. Has an analytical, competitive, and tenacious with a positive do-what-it-takes approach. Sean has done business in all over the world, lived in Europe and has visited China and India 20 times on business. Sean offers uncompromising ethics and integrity.