At a time when digital advertising is undergoing constant transformation, few voices bring the combination of pragmatism and vision quite like Dave Rosner. As VP and Head of Marketing at Audigent, a part of Experian, Dave is at the center of the privacy-first evolution—working across identity, data, and innovation to help future-proof the ecosystem. I sat down with Dave to talk about his career journey, how marketers are adapting to a new era of targeting, and what a more privacy-respectful future could look like.

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Roli: Thanks for joining us, Dave! Your career has spanned multiple shifts in digital marketing. What drew you to Audigent, and how has your perspective on privacy-first advertising evolved since joining?

Dave: I’ve been very lucky to have worked across the digital marketing landscape from mobile and social to programmatic and influencer. I’m drawn to areas of the market that have the potential for both growth and to effect positive change. What drew me to Audigent was the company's unapologetic vision that the entire digital advertising ecosystem could be upgraded. Vision plays such an important role in bringing a company together, and it is even more critical when the task at hand is daunting. Recognizing the entire company shared the same vision for the industry was inspirational.

I know so much more about first-party data than I did before joining Audigent. The availability of traditional identifiers is shifting, and with that first-party data remains critical to our collective ability to both understand and connect with consumers. Today there is meaningful innovation around how first-party data can be used to deliver a win-win-win for consumers, advertisers and publishers. For example, when first-party data is used in conjunction with other identity resolution products, it can have an even larger impact. This can be accomplished by enriching the first-party data with audiences and attributes, or appending additional digital IDs. Experian’s contextual indexed audiences are a great example.

Roli: That idea of a win-win-win really resonates. We’re all trying to move toward a system that respects consumers while driving performance—and it’s encouraging to hear how identity innovation can unlock that. Speaking of innovation, NextRoll and Audigent recently launched a major initiative within Google’s Privacy Sandbox. And while we know there have been some large shifts in Google’s third party cookie plans, you and I both agree that the value and need for privacy work doesn’t go away. What excited you most about our collaboration, and what do you think it signals for the future of digital advertising?

Dave: Part of our mission is to help advertisers and publishers get ready for whatever changes come to the advertising ecosystem. It’s exciting to work hand in hand with both NextRoll and Google to pioneer solutions in the Privacy Sandbox. This type of work is not for the faint of heart. Being first in this case means investing time and expertise that would otherwise be dedicated to other high priority initiatives. In this case we have had to work through numerous technical hurdles. Google and NextRoll are dedicated partners, ‘rolling up their sleeves’ as we work together to chart a new path. As a marketer, I love knowing we are the first to do this because it demonstrates who we are to brands and publishers. In marketing it’s one thing to say it, but this is an opportunity where we can show it.

Roli: Yes! It’s been incredible to watch our teams dig into this together. You can’t just talk about privacy-first solutions—you have to build them, test them, break them, and build again. That commitment shows leadership, and it's something I think marketers are starting to look for in their partners.

As we’ve been discussing, CMOs are navigating a rapidly changing landscape. When it comes to privacy, targeting, and data strategy, what are the biggest priorities you’re hearing from marketing leaders today?

Dave: What I hear time and time again from both B2B and B2C CMOs is a focus on consumer privacy. That stems from the fact that so many marketers work hard to build relationships with their consumers to earn their trust and data. That same work and respect is the foundation for how they approach data across the entire ecosystem. It sets a very high bar.

There is also a shared desire to upgrade the entire system. I hear quite a bit about the rise of curation as a mechanism for activating data in real time. That has proven that privacy, efficacy and efficiency can all be delivered at the same time which is in part why the trend continues to grow.

Roli: That balance between personalization and protection is what so many marketers are striving for. And you’re right, the rise of curation feels like a step in the right direction: it brings control and clarity to a space that’s historically been a bit chaotic.

Of course, another force transforming that landscape is AI. It’s reshaping how data is used, how decisions are made, and how campaigns are optimized in real time. How do you see AI helping advertisers navigate privacy challenges while still delivering effective, data-driven campaigns?

Dave: It’s no shock that AI remains one of the most talked about trends in the industry. From an Audigent perspective, we see that AI will unlock tremendous value across the digital ecosystem. Having AI in place will be like adding an army of top data scientists to the process.

Personally, I feel AI will level-up how programmatic functions. Because that rising tide will raise all boats, it will again be up to real people to manage these new more powerful AI-infused tools to drive the process and deliver a competitive advantage.

Roli: I love that framing. AI as the great equalizer, but with a human-in-the-loop to guide the strategy. The tech will get more powerful, but people will still be at the heart of performance. That’s a hopeful vision.

Looking ahead, though, AI is just one piece of the puzzle. The bigger question many marketers are asking is: what does the entire ecosystem look like in a truly privacy-first world? If we fast-forward five years, how do you think the digital marketing landscape will function compared to today?

Dave: Privacy-first requires advertisers put consumers first. This means the actual people, not just their data. First-party data is incredibly powerful, and it needs the right guardrails to ensure it is being used to both support consumers as well as the ad-buyers and publishers.

In the near future, this will come to involve the rise of probabilistic data and increased adoption of tools that enhance first-party data. The other critical component is the use of interoperable, privacy-first identity frameworks.

Roli: That point about guardrails is so important. Privacy-first doesn’t mean data-last—it means data-with-intention. The companies that thrive will be the ones who build their strategies around real people, not just pixels.

And now for a fun one to close us out. If AI could take over one annoying task in your workday (or life), what would it be and why?

Dave: Great question. Marketing today has become more complicated. Marketers have to navigate an ever expanding number of platforms, applying varied strategies across both brand building and tactical initiatives. That tends to fill up the calendar. As a dad of two, a 3 and a half year old and a 5 month old, one of the biggest, most annoying, challenges I have is coordinating calendars with my wife. Calandering is an art and science. Seeing an open time slot is easy, but learning over time that some times are off limits, even when they appear open (and that those moments evolve) requires a more sophisticated agent. The annoying task I look forward to AI helping with someday, is improving work/life balance by helping manage across all the key business and personal calendars in my life.

Roli: That answer hits home — I think every working parent can relate. Coordinating calendars is practically a full-time job in itself. When someone finally builds that AI, I’ll be first in line to invest.

Dave, thank you so much for joining me and sharing your perspective. It’s clear you’re not just thinking about where the industry is headed—you’re helping shape it.

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Big thanks to Dave for sharing his insights and giving us a behind-the-scenes look at how Audigent is helping move the industry forward. His perspective is a valuable reminder that privacy and performance aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re two sides of the same strategy. Keep an eye out for more conversations in this series, where I’ll continue speaking with leaders who are shaping the next chapter of digital marketing.