Interview: CEO Tom Denford on What the Trade Desk–Publicis Debate Means for Advertisers

The recent industry conversation surrounding The Trade Desk and Publicis Groupe has sparked broader questions about the future of media, data, transparency, AI, and advertiser control.

Join us for a timely discussion with CEO Tom Denford, one of the industry’s leading voices on media governance and transparency, as we explore the larger forces reshaping the advertising ecosystem.

Rather than focusing on industry headlines alone, this conversation will unpack what these developments signal for marketers: the evolving role of agencies, the growing influence of technology platforms, the impact of AI-driven media buying, and the strategic decisions advertisers should be considering now.

Whether you lead media, marketing procurement, data strategy, or agency management, this session will provide valuable perspective on where the industry is heading—and what it means for brands.

What You’ll Learn:

• How the relationship between agencies, platforms, and advertisers is evolving
• What increasing integration and automation mean for media transparency and governance
• How AI is reshaping media planning, activation, and advertiser control
• The tradeoffs between open and integrated marketing ecosystems
• What questions advertisers should be asking their agency and technology partners now