meet our members
Our ‘Meet our Members’ series spotlights the diverse voices shaping digital marketing across the region. In this edition, we feature Marc Holloway, Head of Customer Success, APAC and IAB SEA+India 2026 Industry Leadership Board Member.
tell us about smartly, what is your mission?
Smartly is an AI powered advertising technology company that transforms the advertising experience for brands and their consumers. The platform contains automated solutions for creative production, media buying, campaign optimisation, and intelligence across platforms, saving time and improving effectiveness. Backed by deep media expertise and best-in-class customer support, we empower brands to maximise performance and drive real business outcomes. Smartly began in Helsinki 13 years ago as a Facebook Marketing Partner, and we have since expanded strategic partnerships across major media platforms, including Amazon, Google, Meta, Pinterest, Reddit, Snap, Spotify, and TikTok. We are also selected as OpenAI’s first advertising technology partner as well as recently adding LinkedIn Advertising on our platform.
what hero product are you most proud of at smartly?
Smartly has brought many groundbreaking innovations to the advertising industry over the years. An early example is Predictive Budget Allocation (PBA), a solution that allocates budgets across platforms, campaigns, ad sets and ads based on predicted performance. More recently, Smartly launched a suite of intelligence tools including Brand Pulse. Brand Pulse deduplicates the reach from platforms giving advertisers a real time view on where they are achieving the most efficient incremental reach and allows them to continuously optimise to maximise impact. What stands out is how Smartly solutions work together. Combining Brand Pulse with PBA creates a multiplier effect, helping advertisers drive even greater ROI.
what do you love most about working across southeast asia and india?
South East Asia & India is a thrilling place to work thanks to the diversity of thinking, cultures and ideas. There is a real passion to do more, do better and to win which I am constantly impressed by and draw a lot of energy from. Our advertisers in this region really push us to keep developing our solutions and partner to maximise impact, making South East Asia and India crucial to the overall development of Smartly solutions I have no doubt that this region will continue to innovate and grow at a rapid rate, leading the industry globally into the future.
what’s your favourite thing about being part of the IAB SEA+India member network?
Being part of the IAB SEA + India has been valuable both professionally and personally. Connecting with leaders across our industry as well as developing peer connections has given me a grounding anchor and sounding board at a time of significant flux in our industry. I have always found conversations with fellow members and opportunities to learn from different perspectives genuinely refreshing. And stepping up into an Industry Leadership Board role, Co-Leading the 2026 AI Council has been an incredibly fun experience!
and finally, some may say, the most important question in our region – what’s your favourite food?
It’s hard to choose one favourite as there is so much on offer. But one of my most memorable food experiences has been trying Assam Laksa for the first time. So delicious!