The Ad Podcast

Steve Cundari is an advertising and media executive and the Founder & CEO of Summit House , a growth-focused media company that partners with brands and agencies to drive performance across digital channels. With a background spanning media strategy, partnerships, and revenue growth, Steve has built Summit House into a trusted partner known for combining data, relationships, and execution to d...

Charles Ifegwu is a seasoned marketing, creative, and brand strategy leader with nearly two decades of experience driving growth at the intersection of creator, culture, and commercial marketing . Most recently, he served as Managing Director of the U.S. operations for THE FIFTH , an award-winning social creator and creative agency based at FOX Studios in Los Angeles, where he led strategy, campai...

Scott Allison is the co-founder and Global Chairman (formerly CEO) of Allison Worldwide, a major global integrated communications and marketing firm he helped launch in 2001 with a vision for a people-centric, entrepreneurial agency that could compete on the world stage. In addition to his communications career, Scott also co-founded SLAM Films, a U.S.-based production company, and helped establis...

Alexandre Kazuo Kubo & Lucas Ribeiro, authors of Principle: 128 Kazuo Kubo and Lucas Ribeiro are Brazilian advertising creatives with over 20 years of experience at top global agencies, including McCANN New York , CP+B, BETC, Hill Holliday, and Africa. They’ve contributed to campaigns for brands like The Coca-Cola Company, BMW Group, Gatorade, PUMA Group, Smirnoff, and ESPN, earning recognitio...

Stephen Larkin is the Managing Director of Growth and Development at GALE, where he leads initiatives to expand the agency’s reach and accelerate new business opportunities. With three decades of experience in growth strategy, corporate development, and marketing, Stephen has worked across top agencies—including Erich & Kallman and R/GA helping brands and organizations build stronger market pr...

Barbara Emener Karasek is the CEO and Co-Owner of Paradise Advertising & Marketing , Inc., an award-winning full-service agency specializing in tourism, hospitality, and lifestyle brands. With a global marketing career spanning leadership roles at organizations such as SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. & Entertainment, PGA TOUR , NASCAR , and the United States Olympic & Paralymp...

Chris Perkins is the founder and CEO of Model B, a creative agency focused on building modern brands through strategy, design, and storytelling. With a background spanning brand development, creative leadership, and entrepreneurship, Chris is known for helping companies clarify who they are, what they stand for, and how they show up in culture. Under his leadership, Model B has partnered with bran...

Dana Light is a seasoned marketing executive and current Chief Marketing Officer at RIZZ, where she leads the company’s strategic marketing, research, and brand initiatives to grow visibility and customer engagement. She brings deep experience in data-driven marketing, research, and brand development from previous roles including Director of Marketing and Research at WAY Capital, Inc. and VP of Ma...

Menaka Gopinath is the Chief Marketing Officer at the Project Management Institute (PMI), where she leads global brand, communications, and marketing strategy with a focus on customer-centric growth and storytelling. She has built a distinguished career guiding Fortune 100 brands including The Coca-Cola Company , Apple , Nike , Uber , Procter & Gamble , and Meta , leveraging advanced analytics...

Jimmy Hutcheson is a media entrepreneur and executive known for leading iconic and digital media ventures. He is the CEO of SPIN (formerly SPIN Magazine) and the CEO of Next Management Partners, a media and tech investment firm in Los Angeles. Jimmy founded and grew Hutch Media (acquired by Zealot Networks), a digital publishing company acquired in 2015 by the founders of Maker Studios Inc (Acquir...

Haydn Fleming is a marketing leader and currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer at 2POINT, a full-service digital agency specializing in branding, digital strategy, and social marketing. He also hosts Marketing Minds with Haydn Fleming, a podcast that explores key topics and insights in the marketing world with industry experts.

Faisal Mushtaq is a technology executive, entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder best known as the Founder & CEO of TechCon Global , the organization behind TechCon SoCal — a fast-growing innovation and investment conference in San Diego that connects entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and tech leaders. He has over 20 years of leadership experience in tech, including senior roles in digi...

Duke Stump is the Chief Brand Officer at Tractor Beverage Co. , where he leads the evolution of the brand and drives creative strategy at the intersection of purpose, culture, and sustainability. With experience from major consumer brands and a track record of pushing boundaries in marketing and storytelling, Duke is focused on amplifying Tractor’s mission of organic, regenerative impact and conne...

Ali Cox, OLY is the founder of Noble West, where she works on building culturally relevant, performance-driven brand ideas in the world of Big Ag. With a background that blends strategy, creativity, and execution, Ali focuses on helping brands connect authentically with audiences while delivering measurable impact. She’s known for her sharp perspective, collaborative style, and ability to turn ins...

Charles Parker is a higher-education leader at Keiser University, where he focuses on student success, career-driven education, and preparing graduates for today’s evolving workforce. With experience navigating the intersection of academics, industry needs, and innovation, Charles is passionate about helping students turn education into real-world opportunity. His work reflects Keiser’s mission of...

Luke Lashley is a creative entrepreneur and executive producer who founded Departure, a company designed to streamline how agencies and production teams find and match with directors and photographers for creative projects. Under his leadership, Departure has grown into one of the largest direct sources of creative talent, helping agencies quickly identify directors who fit their specific briefs a...

Vince W. is the Chief Marketing Officer at Mustard Love, a platform that helps restaurants connect with local influencers and drive measurable ROI from influencer marketing campaigns. He brings deep experience in data-driven marketing and performance strategy, shaped by roles spanning analytics, marketplace growth, and startup leadership. Vince’s approach focuses on turning social influence into r...

Lindene Cleary is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Tourism Tasmania, the agency responsible for promoting Tasmania globally and domestically as a travel destination.

Mike Petrakis  is the Founder and CEO of  Batch , a leading party-planning and group experience platform that helps users discover and book experiences for celebrations like bachelor/bachelorette parties and more. Launched in 2020 under his leadership, Batch has grown its user base to millions and offers thousands of bookable experiences across dozens of cities. Before Batch, Mike co-founded and h...

Michelle Denogean is a seasoned marketing leader, startup advisor, and author with over two decades of experience growing B2C and B2B brands. She currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Mindtrip, Inc., an AI-powered travel platform. Before Mindtrip, she held senior marketing and operational roles at companies including Edmunds.com, Roadster, eHarmony, and other major players in real-estate,...

Brett Banker is co-founder of X&O and former Managing Partner & Head of Account Management at a two-time “Agency of the Year.” He’s led brand and business strategy for major clients including consumer-packaged goods, media, food, and sports brands such as Procter & Gamble, NBCUniversal, Panera Bread & National Football League (NFL). Brett also pursues entrepreneurial passions outsi...

Dexter Percil is the Director of Global Marketing at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA). With roughly two decades of experience in sales and marketing across the Caribbean, he has driven successful growth and brand strategy for leading companies including beverage brands and regional distributors before moving into tourism marketing. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration fr...

Yakov Filippenko is a tech entrepreneur and startup founder, best known as the CEO & founder of Intch, Inc . — a professional networking platform focused on flexible work and global career connections.

Chris O'Neill is a veteran tech leader and operator with 25+ years of experience leading products, scaling businesses, and turning around companies. He spent nearly a decade at Google, including senior leadership roles at Google X and as head of Google Canada. He went on to serve as CEO and Chairman of Evernote, where he helped stabilize the company and refocus its mission. More recently, he s...

Yaron Orenstein is the Co-CEO of Hopp.co, a Wix company that provides a next-generation “link-in-bio” and online presence platform for creators, professionals, and SMBs. He’s a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience across consumer, mobile, enterprise, and IoT businesses. Yaron is also a serial entrepreneur (CEO at Olibya Labs, previously at POPS) and deeply passionate about the creat...