Arnaud Creput — Equativ

Arnaud Créput, a seasoned AdTech executive, has taken on a leadership role at Equativ, the French-headquartered independent ad tech company formerly known as Smart AdServer. Créput previously served as CEO of Equativ itself following the merger of Smart AdServer and DynAdmic, and his continued or renewed association with the company signals ongoing strategic leadership commitment. The LinkedIn post references a Martech360 interview, suggesting Créput is actively representing Equativ in an executive capacity and engaging with industry media to articulate the company's vision and positioning in the competitive ad tech landscape. Equativ is one of Europe's leading independent sell-side platforms, offering a full-stack ad serving and programmatic monetization suite for publishers. The company has been positioning itself as a privacy-first, independent alternative to the large walled gardens and US-centric SSPs. Créput's leadership is central to this narrative, as he has been a vocal advocate for open, transparent, and sustainable advertising ecosystems, particularly in the European market context where regulatory pressures like GDPR are most acute. This leadership continuity or reaffirmation at Equativ is significant in the context of ongoing consolidation in the SSP and ad server market. With companies like Xandr, Magnite, and PubMatic competing aggressively, Equativ's ability to retain experienced executive leadership is a stabilizing signal for its publisher and advertiser partners. The Martech360 interview format also suggests a proactive communications and thought leadership strategy under Créput's direction.

Arnaud Créput's presence at the helm of Equativ reinforces the company's independent positioning at a time when the SSP market is under significant consolidation pressure. Equativ competes directly with Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, and regional European players, and having a recognized, experienced CEO helps maintain publisher confidence and commercial momentum. His advocacy for privacy-first and cookieless advertising solutions aligns Equativ with the broader industry shift away from third-party identifiers, which is particularly resonant in Europe. This leadership stability may also support Equativ's M&A ambitions or partnership strategies, as the company has historically grown through acquisitions such as the DynAdmic merger. For the broader AdTech ecosystem, it underscores the importance of strong executive identity in differentiating independent platforms from the dominant walled gardens.