Laura Desmond

Chief Executive Officer, Smartly
Greater Chicago Area,United States
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Who Is Laura Desmond?

Total Experience48 years
CompanySmartly
CountryUnited States

Laura Desmond is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in business strategy, marketing, and SaaS. As CEO of Smartly, she leads the company's AI-powered advertising technology platform, driving innovation and growth. Prior to Smartly, Laura was the Global CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group and held leadership roles at Publicis Groupe. She also founded Eagle Vista Partners and is an Operating Partner at Providence Equity Partners. Laura serves on the boards of Adobe and DoubleVerify and invests in the Chicago Sky and Chicago Red Stars. She is passionate about transformative digital strategies and creating enduring value in the tech and marketing sectors.

How Did Laura Desmond's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

Laura Desmond's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Smartly - Chief Executive Officer(2022 to Present)
Eagle Vista Partners - Founder & CEO(2017 to Present)
Providence Equity Partners - Operating Partner(2017 to Present)
Adobe - Board Member(2012 to Present)
DoubleVerify - Board Member(2017 to Present)
Starcom - CEO(2008 to 2016)

What Are Laura Desmond's Key Achievements?

Led Smartly to become a leading AI-powered advertising technology platform

Oversees Smartly, processing over $5 billion in ad spend and generating over 300 billion creative assets annually for 700+ clients.

Drove digital transformation at Publicis Groupe

As Global CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group, led the Groupe's digital transformation, resulting in the creation of Publicis Media.

Guided DoubleVerify to IPO

As an Operating Partner at Providence Equity Partners, played a key role in the acquisition and led the board direction that resulted in the DoubleVerify IPO in 2021.

What's Laura Desmond's Educational Background?

BBA, Marketing

University of Iowa - Henry B. Tippie College of Business - Year 1983

Buying Intent Signals for Laura Desmond

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Company Overview

Smartly
Total employees1001
HeadquartersNew York
Founded2013

Smartly.io is the leading AI powered advertising technology platform transforming ad creation and iteration. It automates every step of the ad lifecycle and unifies ad operations across channels with a transparent media-buying platform. Smartly.io powers beautifully effective ads for 700+ brands worldwide.

Smartly Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
$21M - Most recent funding amount
6 - Number of funding rounds
13 Feb, 2020 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Highland Europe
Idinvest Partners
InReach Ventures
Bessemer Venture Partners
Northzone
Madison Capital
Tesi
Spintop Ventures
Square Peg Capital
Endeavor Catalyst
Equity Venture Partners
Full In Partners

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