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Laura Desmond

Operator

Laura Desmond serves as Chief Executive Officer at Smartly, bringing decades of senior leadership experience in global media and advertising to the role. She previously served as CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group, where she built a reputation for advancing data-driven media strategy, audience-based buying, and measurement accountability across a large-scale global agency operation, before moving into executive leadership at Publicis Groupe as Chief Revenue Officer. Her career spans over three decades of senior roles across Starcom MediaVest Group and Leo Burnett, making her one of the most experienced operators at the intersection of media, data, and marketing technology.

Last updated Jun 11, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment

Role
Chief Executive Officer
Company
Smartly
Based
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Boards
1
Connections
2
Years in industry
35 years

Bio

Laura Desmond serves as Chief Executive Officer at Smartly, bringing decades of senior leadership experience in global media and advertising to the role. She previously served as CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group, where she built a reputation for advancing data-driven media strategy, audience-based buying, and measurement accountability across a large-scale global agency operation, before moving into executive leadership at Publicis Groupe as Chief Revenue Officer. Her career spans over three decades of senior roles across Starcom MediaVest Group and Leo Burnett, making her one of the most experienced operators at the intersection of media, data, and marketing technology.

Career

  • Chief Revenue Officer

    Publicis Groupe · 2015-2017

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Starcom MediaVest Group · 2008-2015

  • Senior Leadership Roles

    Leo Burnett · 1990s-2000s

Board memberships

Univision Communications (former board member)

Expertise & education

Expertise

Data-Driven Media StrategyAudience-Based BuyingMeasurement AccountabilitySocial AdvertisingAI-Powered Advertising TechnologyGlobal Agency OperationsMarketing TechnologyProgrammatic Advertising

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Speaking topics

The reinvention of advertising through AI and automationData-driven media strategy and audience-based buyingMeasurement accountability and marketing effectivenessLeadership and transformation in global media organizationsThe future of social advertising and creative technology

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Led Starcom MediaVest Group as global CEO, overseeing one of the world's largest media agency networks with billings exceeding $35 billion
  • Appointed Chief Revenue Officer of Publicis Groupe, one of the first women to hold a C-suite revenue role at a major global holding company
  • Named to Advertising Age's 'Women to Watch' and recognized among the most powerful executives in media and advertising
  • Joined Smartly as CEO to lead the company's next phase of AI-driven social advertising growth

Awards

Advertising Age Women to WatchAdvertising Age's 100 Most Influential Women in Advertising
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