In conversation with Priyanka Bajaj, Head of Demand Facilitation – Asia, Magnite

From spearheading sales teams at AdColony to driving strategic growth at Smaato, Priyanka Bajaj, Head of Demand Facilitation, Asia at Magnite brings over 15 years of rich experience in AdTech to the table. Her journey has been marked by dynamic roles shaping Southeast Asia’s mobile ad landscape. At Magnite, she navigates the evolving streaming TV market, fostering innovation and strategic partnerships to drive industry-leading advancements.

Agency Reporter – What motivated you to pursue a career in AdTech, and how has your journey evolved over the past 15 years?

Priyanka Bajaj – My career in ad tech began by chance, but I’ve been lucky enough to have been a part of this exciting industry for some time now. Prior to my current role at Magnite, I worked to build the APAC brand sales team at AdColony and bring it to the forefront as a leading mobile ad platform in Southeast Asia. Before that, I held regional sales director roles at companies including Snakk Media and Smaato, where I led strategy and business development. Now at Magnite, I’ve been able to help bring our leading streaming TV offering to market in Southeast Asia and look forward to ensuring our clients are set up for success as streaming continues its momentum.

Agency Reporter – As Head of Demand Facilitation for Asia at Magnite, what are your primary responsibilities? And as a leader, how do you foster innovation and encourage your team to think creatively when developing media plans and strategies?

Priyanka Bajaj – In my current role at Magnite, I’m responsible for growing and leading the Magnite Demand Facilitation team in Asia, with a focus on developing and expanding key strategic demand-side relationships with leading media agencies, DSPs and buyers in the region and driving accelerated growth. From an internal perspective, I focus on training my team and keeping them abreast of developments within the company itself and the industry at large. My goal is to empower them to continuously evolve our strategic proposition in the market so that they can work effectively and collaboratively with our agency and brand partners to help them succeed in the digital era.

Agency Reporter – As a woman in AdTech, what unique challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

Priyanka Bajaj – I’ve been truly lucky in my career to have had very supportive managers and have always felt very welcome within the industry. From my perspective, the challenges I’ve faced in my career aren’t so much about gender, but rather have been brought on by the nature of ad tech generally. I think some of the challenges that exist here arise from a need to truly address real issues more openly. While challenges exist across both the buy and sell side, particularly in terms of transparency, I think we as a collective sometimes fail to come together collaboratively to discuss how we can make improvements to these shared issues and have more frank discussions about how shared pain points can be resolved. While I believe we’re making greater strides toward this, it’s important to remember we all have a role to play in bettering the industry as a whole and the first step is ensuring we communicate more consistently and effectively.

Agency Reporter – What qualities do you believe are essential for a successful digital specialist in today’s rapidly evolving landscape, and how do you cultivate those qualities within your team?

Priyanka Bajaj – With the ad tech landscape changing very quickly, I believe agility and adaptability are the most important qualities a person needs to be successful in an industry where no day is the same. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities, demanding a quick grasp of evolving trends. The speed with which you can digest and understand these changes and developments mean that you’ll be better able to translate this understanding to deliver support for clients, carving out unique strategies to set them up for success. I encourage my team members to ask the tough questions, continuously be aware and observant, and stay up to date with the latest changes and trends in the industry to ensure we have all of the information at our disposal to deliver only the best for our clients.

Agency Reporter – How do you stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in digital marketing and technology, and how do you incorporate them into your strategies?

Priyanka Bajaj – One of the best ways to keep up with the latest trends and advancements in the industry is to read up on them. There are a vast number of publications at our disposal that detail all of the current happenings in the industry and it’s important to continue to digest these to stay informed. Networking is also an important avenue to explore as it presents invaluable opportunities to connect with clients and gain insight into diverse perspectives. This is helpful because there is so much we can learn from one another and lends itself to further collaboration. Personally, I find immense value in networking, and I always come away with new insights that I can apply to bring greater value to my role and work with my team.

Agency Reporter – Looking ahead, what are your goals for the next few years in your professional life?

Priyanka Bajaj – Over the next few years, I’m committed to learning, growing, and making meaningful contributions to this ever-changing industry. Looking ahead, I am personally very excited about the evolution of digital media with the shift from linear to streaming platforms and the live streaming opportunity. I look forward to being part of the transformational shift in traditional TV and broadcast advertising towards programmable streaming. In addition, as a sports enthusiast, the ability to watch live events on every screen is a dream come true, and I am very bullish on the opportunities this presents in Asia. I look forward to building strategic partnerships with clients and positioning Magnite as a leader in this space.

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Agency Reporter – What do you envision as the future trends or disruptions in digital marketing and technology, and how do you prepare yourself and your team to embrace them?

Priyanka Bajaj – While we’ve seen streaming TV grow exponentially over the past few years, we’re now beginning to see more consolidation across the industry. Several major streaming services have consolidated and combined their offerings, and 2024 is poised to be a similarly big year for this type of activity. In the future, I think we’ll continue to see growth of smart TVs (OEMs) as consumers replace their existing hardware in favor of the big screen CTV viewing experience. In addition, I believe the lines between linear and digital will continue to blur as advanced TV becomes more prominent and evolves as an extension of linear TV.

Agency Reporter – What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter and succeed in the AdTech field?

Priyanka Bajaj – My best advice to women starting out in the field is to stay eager and maintain a strong appetite for learning. This industry values individuals who are enthusiastic about expanding their knowledge, embracing growth opportunities, and tackling fresh challenges within their current positions. Another important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to learn by doing – embrace opportunities as they arise, accept tasks with a ‘yes’ first mentality, and then delve into the details, ask questions and figure out the approach along the way.

Disclaimer: Information mentioned here has not been verified or endorsed by Agency Reporter and is in accordance with the press release shared by the company or their appointed representatives.