OpenX

OpenX seeks new CEO after Matt Sattel exit

OpenX has begun a search for a new chief executive after parting ways with Matt Sattel, who had become CEO in February 2026 following the death of longtime CEO John Gentry. Joshua Metzger has been named interim CEO; in a statement he highlighted the company’s 14 consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth and said OpenX has the products and team to continue transforming the supply-side landscape. Sources told Digiday the leadership change may precede potential merger-and-acquisition discussions, and cited similar C-suite overhauls at rival SSPs (including The Trade Desk and Magnite) as part of a broader trend of consolidation and executive turnover in the supply-side/platform space.

Cannes: AI Search Crisis Is Really Brand Coherence

At Cannes Lions 2026, industry conversations shifted from creative execution to how brands appear, are trusted, and recommended by LLMs and AI-driven search systems. Speakers and executives argued that large language models synthesize signals from SEO, PR, content and product pages into a single, machine-read ‘truth,’ exposing inconsistencies across functions. Practitioners say the challenge is coordination and organisational change — not just SEO tactics — because LLMs prioritise machine-readable authority, citations and trust signals. Boston Consulting Group data cited at the festival found 96% of 300 CMOs believe AI is transforming marketing, but only about a third have rebuilt workflows or operating models. Panelists urged governance, cross-functional alignment, and new measurement approaches so brands can be both persuasive to people and legible to AI systems.

Agencies Turn to AI Agents, Brands Move In‑House

Agencies are showcasing AI agent pilots, partnerships and products to speed media planning and buying — but face competition from advertisers building their own agentic capabilities. WPP is testing a media‑buying and planning agent for premium video, while Dentsu has partnered with Newton Research to trial media‑buying agents and faster analytics via Dentsu.connect. Independent agencies and consultancies such as Butler/Till and Dept are also deploying agent tooling (including Claude agents and a productised 'Agent Studio') and using Google models to accelerate delivery. Advertisers including Hyundai have built in‑house bidding agents with partners (Chalice and Canvas) using a containerized OpenXBuild solution, reporting a 67% reduction in online video CPM and a 20% decline in cost per defined 'high value action' during pilots. The piece cites WFA research on broad in‑house AI adoption and frames the trend as a strategic threat and opportunity for agencies.