The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) held its Digital Ad Ops after a few reschedules, and it did not disappoint.
The well-attended conference – held at the NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre, in Surry Hills – provided digital advertising professionals with critical insights and perspectives into the industry and covered Ad-Ops, Ad-Tech, TechOps, and programmatic perspectives.
Discussions kicked off with ACCC’s joint general manager of the digital platforms branch, Morag Bond, who gave an overview of the digital advertising services inquiry and the recommendations made by the commission.
Following on was a panel on transparency for programmatic transactions, led by IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy, alongside Megan McEwin, the AANA director of policy and regulatory affairs, and COO of Omnicom Media Group representing the MFA, Philip Pollock.
IAB tech lead Jonas Jaanimagi
Their conversation covered the industry’s challenges, the future of digital advertising in the face of a cookieless world, and how to deal with the talent shortage in the industry.
Following was a discussion about Tackling Identity in 2022 with Ashton De Santis, inventory partnerships director from The Trade Desk, Amelia Ward, the senior director – of buyer development, Index Exchange, Gabbi Stubbs APAC Product Strategy & Product Marketing, Adobe, and Josh Slighting, head of data and digital audience, Paramount ANZ.
Their conversation also featured live scribing by graphic designer Diana Ayoub who created an incredible representation of the points discussed.
Jaanimagi with Gabbi Stubbs, Amelia Ward, Josh Slighting and Ashton De Santis
After a networking break, it was back for another talk, this time on the changing face of mobile gaming with InMobi’s senior manager, publisher & telco development ANZ, Matthew McGinley.
IAB Australia’s tech lead Jonas Jaanimagi moderated a discussion with Foxcatcher’s general manager Yun Yip, regional director – APAC of Oracle Advertising June Cheung and Valentina Lizzi, lead account strategist ANZ of InMobi.
Jaanimagi with Valentina Lizzi, June Cheung and Yun Yip
The women discussed the growth of advertising in gaming and its future as technologies develop and the gaming community expands.
A panel on the future of CTV transparency followed right after. It featured PubMatic’s customer success associate director Tim Purss, Integral Ad Science’s Jessica Miles and Phil Cowlishaw, head of AdCloud APAC, Adobe.
The trio’s discussion explored the industry’s challenges, developments in technology and the future of connected TV.
Later, Imran Masood – country manager, ANZ, of DoubleVerify – took to the stage to discuss ad fraud and protecting media investments.
Imran Masood
The day rounded out with a careers panel to address the talent shortage in the industry in a post-pandemic world, moderated by Sorrel Osborne, head of growth, Playground XYZ.
Joining her on the panel was Davor Vilusic, commercial director of media, Carsales, Adele Wieser, regional managing director APAC, Index Exchange, and Nina Vanneck, country manager publisher partnerships ANZ, of Google.
Among the things discussed were the industry’s challenges, employee retention, the talent shortage and maintaining a good work-life balance.
The informative and insightful conference rounded out with cheery networking drinks that saw colleagues and professionals catch up after a long time.