Longtime Dentsu executive Misty Locke has been named to the board of directors at Black-owned ad tech group Direct Digital Holdings. She is taking on this new role on the heels of a three-plus year tenure as Dentsu Media’s global CMO, where she was responsible for the marketing of nearly 60 brands in over 140 markets, with particular focus on three global leadership agency brands: iProspect, Carat and Dentsu X.
Prior, Locke served in several senior executive positions for iProspect, including president of iProspect Americas, global chief client officer and global CMO. Locke transformed iProspect, a company she helped grow through a merger in 2008 with her company, Range Online Media, from an SEO brand into a highly recognized digital media and performance agency, scaled across more than 90 markets with more than 8,000 media and performance specialists. In her career, Locke has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands, including General Motors, Adidas, Nike, The Gap Brands, Microsoft, Estée Lauder Companies, Accor Hotels, Burberry, Heineken and Kering. She also received the e-Microsoft Bing Lifetime Achievement award for her contribution to the digital advertising industry, and Fast Company listed her on its list of 25 Top Women Business Builders.
Locke joins Direct Digital Holdings less than a year since the sell- and buy-side advertising technology holding group — which includes operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses and Orange142 — went public, making it the ninth Black-owned company on the U.S. stock exchange. Colossus SSP offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties and has recently attracted brand clients such as Bayer, HP and the NBA. The company’s buy-side subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 are known for significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services.
“Direct Digital Holdings has seen strong and resilient growth in a time where the industry overall is facing significant disruption and headwinds,” added Locke. “I look forward to supporting the company’s continued expansion and joining a pioneering team delivering leading edge digital advertising solutions for clients and especially those in multicultural communities.”
“Direct Digital Holdings is very pleased to welcome Misty to our board of directors,” said Mark D. Walker, direct digital holdings cofounder, chairman and CEO. “Misty brings a tremendous amount of industry insight and expertise to our company and will be a valuable asset for the senior leadership team and our strategic decision-making. Direct Digital Holdings is a pioneering force in the programmatic ad industry, and Misty’s contributions, along with the dynamic leadership and breadth of experience offered by our existing directors Tonie Leatherberry, Keith Smith and Richard Cohen, will fortify our board of directors. Such bench strength will enable Direct Digital Holdings to continue to lead with a dynamic and inclusive approach, come up with innovative solutions for brands of all sizes and use advanced technology solutions for our tailored digital strategies.”
Locke has served on the agenda and search advisory boards for Google, MSN and Yahoo and was part of the Shop.org board of directors, a division of the U.S.’s National Retail Federation and as an adviser on the WWD Women in Innovation Advisory board.
