July 7, 2026  |  SIGN UP

Ronan Shields
SENIOR REPORTER, AD TECH

OpenX is searching for a permanent CEO after the departure of Matt Sattel, who had held the role since February 2026 following the death of longtime chief executive John Gentry.

Joshua Metzger has been appointed interim CEO while the board looks for an experienced replacement, with industry observers viewing the search as a possible precursor to future M&A discussions.

Rival supply-side platforms are expected to watch the process closely. Given OpenX’s 14 consecutive quarters of revenue growth, the leadership change appears driven more by strategic positioning than financial performance.

The move comes amid broader executive turnover across the programmatic advertising sector.

The Trade Desk recently reshaped its senior leadership team as it adapts to its next phase of growth. Meanwhile, rival SSP Magnite has seen several senior product executives depart in a restructuring aimed at sharpening its commercial focus.

Collectively, the changes suggest 2026 is becoming a pivotal year of leadership realignment across the ad tech industry as companies prepare for the sector’s next stage of consolidation and competition.

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