Kara Manatt

Kara Manatt is one of the advertising industry's most authoritative voices on media market intelligence, best known for leading Magna Global's proprietary research and forecasting practice. As EVP of Intelligence Solutions at IPG Mediabrands' centralized intelligence unit, she oversees the production of widely referenced quarterly and annual advertising expenditure forecasts, as well as deep-dive research on high-growth sectors including connected TV, retail media, programmatic advertising, and social media. Her analysis is routinely cited by major business and trade publications including The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and Adweek, making her a go-to expert for understanding the forces reshaping the ad-supported media ecosystem. Manatt's work sits at the intersection of data, media economics, and strategic counsel, helping global advertisers and media companies navigate rapid shifts in audience behavior, platform dynamics, and advertising effectiveness. Her research outputs directly inform billions of dollars in media investment decisions across IPG's global client portfolio. She has built Magna's intelligence function into a trusted industry resource that commands attention from both buy-side and sell-side stakeholders. With an estimated 15-plus years in the industry, Manatt has developed deep expertise across the full spectrum of media channels and emerging advertising technologies. Her ability to translate complex market data into actionable strategic insights has established her as a leading analyst-practitioner in adtech, bridging the gap between quantitative forecasting and real-world media planning implications.

Last updated Jul 3, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team