Michael Barrett

Michael Barrett is one of programmatic advertising's most consequential operators, best known for leading Magnite as CEO and engineering the 2020 merger of Rubicon Project and Telaria that created the world's largest independent sell-side platform. Under his leadership, Magnite has become the defining independent SSP in the CTV era, executing further strategic acquisitions including SpotX in 2021 for approximately $1.17 billion, cementing the company's position at the intersection of streaming television and programmatic infrastructure. His ability to identify, execute, and integrate transformative M&A transactions while maintaining operational momentum has made him one of the most respected dealmakers in AdTech. Barrett's career reflects a deliberate progression through the most important inflection points in digital advertising. As President and CEO of Millennial Media, he navigated the mobile advertising landscape and delivered a successful exit via acquisition by AOL in 2015 for $238 million. Before that, as Chief Revenue Officer at Yahoo, he oversaw global advertising sales during a critical period of programmatic adoption, and his earlier tenures at Google and AdMob gave him foundational expertise in mobile and performance advertising infrastructure. Barrett is widely regarded for his operational discipline in scaling complex advertising technology businesses, his strategic clarity on supply path optimization and publisher monetization, and his vision for how streaming TV will reshape the programmatic ecosystem. He has consistently positioned Magnite as the independent alternative to walled gardens, advocating for an open, publisher-first programmatic supply chain at a time when consolidation and privacy changes are reshaping the industry's foundations.

• Bachelor's Degree, University of Notre Dame

• Led the 2020 merger of Rubicon Project and Telaria to form Magnite, creating the world's largest independent SSP
• Orchestrated Magnite's $1.17 billion acquisition of SpotX in 2021, establishing leadership in CTV programmatic advertising
• Led Millennial Media through its $238 million acquisition by AOL in 2015
• Scaled Magnite's CTV revenue to represent a majority of the company's total revenue mix