Leadership In

Greg and Geoff unpack Walmart's acquisition of Vibe.co and what it signals about the race to build and scale commerce media marketplaces across formats, advertiser segments and geographies. Follow the show and subscribe to our newsletter at leadershipinpodcast.com. Questions or feedback: leadershipinpodcast@gmail.com.

Greg and Geoff sit down with Ali Manning , Chief Operating Officer at Chalice , who co-founded one of adtech's hottest AI companies after senior roles at Google and Snap. Ali shares how being underestimated became her edge, why she rejected advice to smile less and talk slower, and what it means to build a company culture where people can show up as themselves. Plus her take on why the industry ne...

Greg and Geoff talk non-traditional owners circling media assets, the tension between content investment and financial metrics, and what PE is about to find out. Walmart Connect, Bending Spoons, and People Inc. are rewriting who owns the system. The metric translation problem every CMO already knows is now PE's problem too. Follow the show and subscribe to our newsletter at leadershipinpodcast...

When your content shapes culture, the pressure to keep leading never lets up. Jill Steinhauser , Group SVP of Platform Monetization & Parnterships at Warner Brothers Discovery knows that better than most. With media disruption that isn't slowing down. her advice is simpler than you'd expect: keep your goals in front of you and keep calm. Greg and Geoff sit down with Jill to talk about leading...

Greg and Geoff on agentic AI hype, the workflows actually delivering, and where to stop outsourcing your thinking. In this episode: The WPP exec's "teenage sex" take on agentic AI. One real workflow win helping a partner close business faster. The case for writing your own three-line emails. Get in touch: leadershipinpodcast@gmail.com

Greg and Geoff revisit Pooja Midha's standout episode and unpack POSSIBLE 2026 in Miami Beach. In this episode: The "never play scared" story from Pooja's episode, and why it's advice that holds up across leadership and life. Themes POSSIBLE 2026: the shift toward demand and data, and AI for the sake of AI vs. AI that solves real problems. Get in touch: leadershipinpodcast@gmail.com

What does it take to lead with high standards without playing scared?  Greg and Geoff sit down with Pooja Midha , board member, advisor, and Executive-in-Residence (EIR) at LUMA Partners , and a leader who has run sales and operating businesses at Dow Jones, Viacom, Disney/ABC, true[X], and Comcast Advertising. The conversation explores how high standards, deep listening, and making others success...

Season 2 of Leadership In is here! Greg and Geoff preview what's ahead: new guests from industry giants and emerging adtech players, and a new rhythm of short and long episodes. What's new this season: A great lineup of new guests from industry giants and emerging players Alternating episode formats: full-length feature interviews (~30 min) and shorter Open Exchange episodes (5–10 min) Now...

Greg and Geoff wrap up Season 1 of Leadership In reflecting on the themes, lessons, and leadership perspectives that emerged across eight episodes. They revisit the core questions asked of every guest, discuss what stood out across different leaders and backgrounds, and share their own views on authenticity, diversity of thought, incentives, AI, and the legacies leaders aim to leave behind.

Greg and Geoff sit down with GumGum’s Kerel Cooper (CMO) and Katy Loria (CRO) to discuss the importance of embracing vulnerabilities, managing personal brands, and the difference in dynamics between large and small organizations. The conversation delves into GumGum’s approach to contextual advertising, the role of consumer mindset in targeted ads, and how AI and machine learning influence their st...

What if the key to better advertising isn’t more data, but more attention? Geoff and Greg sit down with Dave Jacobs , President and CEO of Receptiv , a company with a fresh take on driving performance by focusing on when people are most receptive. The conversation explores how leadership, focus, and accountability drive both innovation and impact in adtech. From leading teams at startups and globa...

In a market obsessed with results, true leadership means knowing how to deliver them, again and again. Nick Cote , VP and Head of Supply at TV Scientific , shares how he leads through hyper-growth and constant change in the connected-TV space. He breaks down outcome-based television, how to drive measurable performance at scale, and why clarity and accountability are the ultimate competitive advan...

⁠Amanda Forrester , SVP of Marketing at ⁠OpenX⁠ , discusses what it means to win the right way. She shares how empathy, integrity and doing things the right way, even when it’s hard, have shapred her leadership and the company’s culture.  She also unpacks the future of AI and infrastructure in programmatic advertising, the myth of limitless supply, and the power of believing you belong in every ro...

Nolan Johnson , SVP of Media Partnerships at Grocery TV has helped turn grocery stores into one of advertising’s most powerful new frontiers. In this episode, he shares how leading with curiosity and courage helped him scale a startup into a national network, why 85% of grocery purchases still happen in-store, and what it takes to build both a category and a culture from the ground up. 03:19 The I...

Priti Ohri , CEO of Advertible , has built her career, and her company, on one principle: do the right thing, even when it’s hard. In this episode, she shares how authenticity and values drive better business, why trust matters more than speed, and how she’s redefining leadership in the fast-moving world of ad tech. Links from this episode: DesiUS Fast Company: The Brand Called You Geoff’s Substac...

Scott Ensign , Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till , a leading independent advertising agency, joins us to discuss leadership in a rapidly evolving industry. Scott shares insights on Butler/Till's unique Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) model, fostering transparency and engagement, and creating a results driven culture where everyone feels invested in the company's success. The conve...

Veteran adtech reporter Ronan Shields from Digiday joins Greg MacDonald and Geoff Wolinetz to explore leadership in advertising, media, and technology. The conversation covers Ronan's career journey as a journalist across three continents, insights on the relationship between media and industry figures, and the essential role of fact-checking in digital journalism. Ronan also talks about the p...

Leadership isn’t about titles, it’s choices, lessons, and turning points. Leadership In is hosted by adtech industry veterans and consultants Greg MacDonald and Geoff Wolinetz, featuring candid conversations with senior leaders in advertising, media, and tech. Follow now to get the full episodes and join the conversation.