Ahead of The Wires 2023, we spoke to Sara Vincent, managing director, UK & IE, Index Exchange, last year's Ad Tech Personality of the Year.

The Wires Ad Tech Personality of the Year is one of the most coveted awards in our industry. As we prepare to crown the 2023 winner, we sat down with 2022 winner Sara Vincent to discuss what the title meant to her, her inspirations and her hopes and expectations of the ad tech industry in the coming year.

What did winning The Wires Ad Tech Personality of the Year mean to you?

Receiving this award highlights the industry's appreciation and value of the individuals in ad tech. However, it's important to note that behind each person recognised, there's a cheerleading squad of colleagues, teammates, peers, and mentors. Their support has been instrumental throughout my career. Therefore, while the award was an unexpected honour, it truly is for everyone who's helped me along my journey to where I am today. This award serves as an affirmation, fuelling further motivation to advance the ad tech industry through disruption and innovation. 

What has inspired you throughout your career?

The potential within the advertising technology industry is truly inspiring. Its openness and inclusiveness toward innovation enable constant change and generate new opportunities. I've learned never to say never while navigating the possibilities of this industry.

What do you expect to see in the industry next year? 

I anticipate and welcome increased collaboration, disruption, and innovation with in ad tech in 2024. Driven by an underlying focus on sustainability, we can expect a bigger focus on efficiency, doing more with fewer partners, reducing waste, and optimising for the best results. A practical approach will guide these efforts. 

What are the hottest trends, and the biggest challenges the industry faces in 2024?

The hottest trends also present the biggest challenges, in a very exciting way. The rise and rapid growth of new channel monetisation, such as streaming TV, have highlighted the importance of greater transparency, standardisation, and collaboration to ensure media owners and buyers are transacting with confidence. The implementation of standards such as OpenRTB 2.6 will be crucial for scaling the channel as it introduces features like ad podding, which brings linear TV-style ad breaks to streaming TV. 

Secondly, beyond trends, a fundamental principle is ensuring your business has a good culture that not only retains talent but also fosters inclusivity. 

What have been some of your highlights of 2023?

This year, so far, has been filled with launching, learning, personal growth, and widening perspective. I’ve had the privilege of leading the UK team at Index through a transformation into a video-first exchange. This shift is followed by strong growth in CTV– an incredibly exciting channel to be a part of. Along the way, I've also had the opportunity to meet many new people who have become significant partners for us.

Check out the shortlist for the 2023 Ad Tech Personality here, and look out for the full results run-down on ExchangeWire on November 10th.