David Cohen

CEO at IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau)

Leading the IAB through one of the most turbulent periods in digital advertising history, championing industry standards and policy positions on privacy, identity, and the future of the open internet.

Standards SetterNew York, New York, United States25+ years in industry

Last updated May 31, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team

Bio

David Cohen is one of the most consequential figures in digital advertising, serving as CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the trade organization that sets the rules, standards, and advocacy agenda for the $200B+ digital advertising industry. Since taking the helm at IAB, Cohen has positioned the organization as a proactive force on the most pressing issues facing the ecosystem — from the deprecation of third-party cookies and the rise of privacy regulation to the proliferation of AI-generated content and the ongoing battle for brand safety. His leadership style blends pragmatic industry coalition-building with a willingness to take strong public stances on issues that matter to IAB's 700+ member companies. Before joining IAB, Cohen spent years at the heart of the buy side as President of Magna Global, IPG's centralized media intelligence and investment unit. In that role, he was responsible for negotiating billions of dollars in media spend on behalf of some of the world's largest advertisers, while also building out Magna's research and forecasting capabilities into one of the most cited sources of media economic data in the industry. His experience straddling both strategic research and hard-nosed media negotiation gave him a rare dual fluency in the economics and mechanics of advertising. Cohen is a fixture on the conference circuit and a sought-after commentator on the future of digital media, regularly speaking at events like CES, Cannes Lions, and IAB's own Annual Leadership Meeting. He has been a consistent advocate for a free, ad-supported internet while pushing the industry to hold itself to higher standards on transparency, measurement, and consumer trust. His tenure at IAB has been marked by a forward-leaning posture on identity solutions, clean rooms, and the post-cookie landscape.

Previous Roles

President

Magna Global (IPG) (2014-2020)

Chief Investment Officer

Magna Global (IPG) (2012-2014)

Expertise

Digital Advertising Policy & AdvocacyProgrammatic AdvertisingIdentity ResolutionPrivacy Regulation & ComplianceMedia Economics & ForecastingBrand SafetyAd Measurement StandardsData-Driven Marketing

Education

Bachelor's Degree, University at Albany, SUNY

Notable Achievements

Led IAB's response to the deprecation of third-party cookies, helping shape industry-wide identity and measurement alternatives
Oversaw IAB's development and promotion of the Privacy Sandbox commentary and alternative identity frameworks
Built Magna Global into one of the most influential media intelligence and forecasting units in the industry
Expanded IAB membership and relevance during a period of significant industry disruption including the rise of retail media and CTV

Awards

Frequently named to industry power lists including Adweek and Ad Age rankings

Speaking Topics

The future of digital identity and post-cookie advertisingPrivacy regulation and its impact on the open internetThe economics of digital media and the ad-supported webBrand safety and accountability in programmatic advertisingArtificial intelligence and its role in advertisingConnected TV and the evolution of streaming measurement

Publications

Regular contributor to IAB thought leadership reports and whitepapers on digital advertising standards and policy

Board Memberships

IAB Tech Lab (ex officio)

Connections