Brenna Cary
Brenna Cary is one of the most prominent operators in streaming audio advertising, leading Spotify's global advertising business at a pivotal moment when podcast and audio ad spend has surged into the mainstream. As VP of Global Advertising at Spotify, she oversees programmatic and direct advertising products across the platform's vast audio and podcast inventory, helping brands and agencies navigate a rapidly maturing channel. Her work has been central to building out Spotify's self-serve advertising tools and programmatic infrastructure, making audio inventory more accessible to advertisers of all sizes. Cary's career has been rooted in digital media and advertising technology, with experience spanning publisher-side ad operations and platform development. Her trajectory reflects the broader industry shift from display-centric programmatic toward audio and streaming environments, and she has been a key voice in articulating how traditional programmatic frameworks apply — and where they must evolve — for audio. She has worked to bridge the gap between Spotify's unique first-party data capabilities and advertiser demand for measurable, targeted audio campaigns. Within the AdTech community, Cary is recognized for her role in professionalizing the audio advertising supply chain, including efforts around podcast ad measurement standards and programmatic audio buying. She regularly represents Spotify at industry forums and has contributed to conversations around brand safety, audience targeting, and the future of cookieless identity in audio environments.
Last updated Jun 11, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Jun 15, 2026
- Years in industry
- 15 years
Bio
Brenna Cary is one of the most prominent operators in streaming audio advertising, leading Spotify's global advertising business at a pivotal moment when podcast and audio ad spend has surged into the mainstream. As VP of Global Advertising at Spotify, she oversees programmatic and direct advertising products across the platform's vast audio and podcast inventory, helping brands and agencies navigate a rapidly maturing channel. Her work has been central to building out Spotify's self-serve advertising tools and programmatic infrastructure, making audio inventory more accessible to advertisers of all sizes. Cary's career has been rooted in digital media and advertising technology, with experience spanning publisher-side ad operations and platform development. Her trajectory reflects the broader industry shift from display-centric programmatic toward audio and streaming environments, and she has been a key voice in articulating how traditional programmatic frameworks apply — and where they must evolve — for audio. She has worked to bridge the gap between Spotify's unique first-party data capabilities and advertiser demand for measurable, targeted audio campaigns. Within the AdTech community, Cary is recognized for her role in professionalizing the audio advertising supply chain, including efforts around podcast ad measurement standards and programmatic audio buying. She regularly represents Spotify at industry forums and has contributed to conversations around brand safety, audience targeting, and the future of cookieless identity in audio environments.
Career
Head of Programmatic & Partnerships
Spotify · prior to VP role
Director, Programmatic Sales
Spotify
Expertise & education
Expertise
Speaking topics
Recognition
Notable achievements
- Led development and scaling of Spotify's self-serve and programmatic advertising capabilities, expanding access to audio inventory for advertisers globally
- Played a key role in growing Spotify's advertising business as podcast and streaming audio ad spend reached multi-billion dollar scale
- Contributed to industry efforts around podcast ad measurement standardization