In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields sits down with Michael Komasinski, CEO of Criteo, to unpack how one of ad tech’s best-known companies has reinvented itself for a privacy-first world. Once synonymous with retargeting, Criteo has successfully evolved into a powerhouse in retail media, supporting more than 230 retailers and $160 billion in GMV.
Michael shares how the company’s early investments in addressability technology and diversification under Megan Clarkin laid the foundation for long-term resilience. He also discusses the industry’s next big shifts from the end of “easy money” in retail media to the rise of agentic workflows, AI-powered ad optimization, and Criteo’s surprising new partnership with Google.
Key Highlights:
🌐 From Retargeting to Retail Media: How Criteo transformed from a cookie-based ad firm to a retail media leader serving hundreds of partners worldwide.
🔒 Future-Proofing Addressability: Why early investments in weak-signal harvesting and privacy-first tech weren’t wasted, and how they keep Criteo competitive post-cookie.
⚙️ Independent & Neutral: The value of being a tech provider that supports both the sell and buy sides of retail media without owning retail inventory.
📉 “The Easy Money Is Over”: What Criteo’s leadership means by this and why the next growth phase depends on cross-retailer buying, measurement consistency, and reduced friction.
🤖 AI & Agentic Buying: How Criteo is already experimenting with conversational campaign setup through Claude and what that means for SMB advertisers.
📺 CTV and Commerce: Insights on how retail media is converging with connected TV, including a major partnership between Roku, WPP, and Criteo.
🤝 The Google Partnership: Why Criteo’s deal with Google’s SA360 is less surprising than it seems, and what it signals for future ad tech collaboration.
💬 The Open Web Isn’t Dead: Michael’s view on why the web is becoming more efficient, not obsolete, in the age of AI and conversational search.
Resources & Next Steps:
🔗 Learn more about Criteo and its retail media solutions
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts
📺 Explore Next in Media episodes on the evolution of ad tech and retail partnerships
📰 Read Eric Seufert & Andrew Sussman’s analysis on agentic systems and automation
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