OpenX, Google & Leading Executives Join Industry Initiative

by ExchangeWire PressBox on 20th Aug 2024 in News

The European Programmatic TV Initiative (EPTVI), led by thought leadership and advisory collective The Project X Initiative, has announced the addition of prominent industry advisors, and new partnerships with OpenX, a leading independent supply-side platform (SSP) for audience, data, and identity targeting, and Google Ad Manager, Google’s supply-side platform for publishers and broadcasters across all formats and screens including CTV.

In addition to welcoming OpenX and Google Ad Manager – alongside existing partners The Trade Desk, PubMatic, Equativ, Magnite, Cadent, and Adform – the Initiative has also recruited a number of leading industry executives to join two advisory groups to help guide its strategic direction.

The buy-side advisory group includes executives from leading agency groups and media independents across Europe, including Nicole Ferguson, managing director growth, GroupM Competence Centre, Germany; and Ana Camara, senior director, global investment at GroupM, along with other key agency leaders involved in TV and programmatic media planning and buying in Europe’s major markets.

The sell-side advisory group includes executives from major European broadcasters and streamers, including Martin Leach, director of operations at Sky Media; Richard Brant, senior director, advanced TV, strategy & partnerships at Vevo; Ed Chalmers, head of trading at Channel 4; Joe Connors, VP of programmatic & advanced advertising at DAZN; Chris Edwards, senior director of media at Rakuten Advertising; and Dina Roman, SVP of global advertising sales & operations at Fubo.

The Initiative was established to help support and drive adoption of programmatic TV in Europe’s major advertising markets, which significantly lag the US. By bringing together leading media owners, media agencies, and ad tech providers, the initiative seeks to break down critical barriers to make buying and selling programmatic TV easier, and develop a clear roadmap for the future of TV advertising in Europe.

Jon Watts, executive director, The Project X Initiative, commented: “OpenX, Google Ad Manager and the senior executives who have joined our two advisory groups bring deep expertise in Europe’s TV and advertising markets. Their insights will help us tackle critical challenges and develop practical solutions that make programmatic TV more effective and accessible. This initiative is about turning shared knowledge into action, and we very much look forward to working with them and our other partners to drive real progress in this highly dynamic market.”

Geoff Wolinetz, SVP, publisher & demand platforms, OpenX said: “By bringing together key stakeholders across the ecosystem, we can make greater strides to build solutions that resonate with the wider marketplace. As part of this initiative, we will be listening closely to the challenges facing broadcasters and buyers with the goal of building confidence in the biddable ecosystem for all players involved. By doing this work together, we aim to unlock the full potential of programmatic TV advertising so the market can benefit from the best of both the linear and programmatic models."

Justin Gupta, head of broadcast & video ads, EMEA sell-side partnerships, Google, said: “Over the past few years, streaming and connected TV viewership have grown significantly, bringing the broadcast industry to the brink of a major shift - addressable TV advertising at scale. Programmatic TV advertising in Europe must evolve to capture this opportunity and to get there the industry needs to collaborate on an aligned approach, and Google is eager to contribute.”

Dina Roman, SVP, global advertising sales & operations, Fubo. said: “Fubo was an early leader in establishing a strong and thriving programmatic CTV pipeline to propel its North American advertising business forward. Now we are joining forces with an impressive collective of industry leaders to advance programmatic advertising across Europe’s burgeoning TV landscape. We’re delighted to be a founding member of The European Programmatic TV Initiative at the forefront of innovation.”

The Initiative will host a series of seminars to explore these issues in depth, leading up to an in-person industry summit in London in the autumn where they will present a shared vision and roadmap for the future of programmatic TV in Europe.

For more information, please contact Jon.Watts@projectxinitiative.com or Ian.Maude@projectxinitiative.com.