LUMA Partners CEO Terry Kawaja to Speak at the Video Everywhere Summit

Barry Freyamp160 Please tell us a bit about LUMA PartnersTerry Kawajaamp160 LUMA Partners is a boutique investment bank focused on the digital media and marketing sectors amp160I started LUMA in 2010 as I recognized the coming changes and saw the need for deeply knowledgebased strategic advice for a complex and dynamic sector amp160The challenge was to build a global brand and franchise on an earned basis without outside capitalamp160 amp160Eight years later we are enjoying a leadership position in the market amp160I chalk this up to our differentiated gotomarket approach of intermediating transactions that is the opposite approach taken by most banks amp160We donamp8217t sell companies but rather help them get bought amp160So you could say we zagged when the others were ziggingFrey amp160You were quoted this summer in a New York Times story about the rapid consolidation of ad tech companies saying that this is a necessary process because so many of these companies were not profitable amp160Do you see this continuing in the nearterm future and where is it all headingKawajaamp160 We have been calling for consolidation a fancy word for MampampA and rationalization a fancy word for failure of the sector for some time The current fragmented ecosystem of over 5000 companies in MadTech Ad Tech and MarTech is clearly not sustainable and now that we are reaching a maturity in the sector where the winners are clearly delineated it is time for the alsorans to be bought or die amp160While that may sound harsh itamp8217s reality amp160This culminating phase has been catalyzed by the shut off of VC funding to the sector that up until recently was continuously funding the lossmaking startups amp160There are subsectors where we see a lot of opportunity and activity in areas like identity Convergent TV and InApp Performance MobileFrey amp160What level of activity do you foresee for MampampAs in the digital media and marketing sector for 2019Kawajaamp160 We are experiencing a significant uptick in MampampA activity that followed a lull due to pending large media deals and uncertainty from GDPR Based on our own backlog we predict significant deal activity in the year to comeFreyamp160 Is there a particular individual you would consider to be your mentor amp160What lessons has this person imparted to youKawajaamp160 I have learned from many people ranging from Gary Vaynerchuk hustle to Rishad Tobaccowala take bigger picture view to Rob Norman comedy to my first Wall Street boss Eduardo Mestre work hard aim highFreyamp160 What media do you consume on a daily basisKawajaamp160 I start the morning with Axios followed by trade pubs that range from AdExchanger to Digiday Recode and BI amp160Usually broader stories from Wall Street Journal to The New York Times and The Washington Post find their way to me via Twitter amp160I use Facebook and Instagram as largely broadcast channels and YouTube for entertainment amp160Interestingly I cut the cord last year when I moved apartments amp160My limited TV diet consists of Sling Amazon and Netflix amp160Iamp8217m not much of a spectator sports personamp160Freyamp160 Tell us a bit about your upcoming speaking appearance at the Video Everywhere SummitKawajaamp160 When I speak at conferences I am often addressing ecosystem trends and lately that has included a lot of supply chain challenges amp160This year at the Video Everywhere Summit I will look at the relatively recent success of DirecttoConsumer brands amp160D2C brands are experiencing explosive growth amp160In vertical after vertical these startup brands have in a relatively short amount of time successfully taken doubledigit share away from incumbents many of which have built their brand equity for decades amp160Itamp8217s a modern day version of David and GoliathMy talk examines why this phenomenon occurred how D2C brands are achieving such incredible results and what can be learned by other marketers to reinvigorate growth amp160It starts with a mindset that puts the consumer first and from there includes frontend elements like product design and enhanced storytelling as well as backend elements like customer identity solutions and performance marketing amp160Any time you see such a disparity of outcomes it behooves one to look at the root cause and seek out ways for improvement amp160I promise not to pull any punches with a presentation that is designed to inform motivate and entertainClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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LUMA Partners CEO Terry Kawaja to Speak at the Video Everywhere Summit

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Barry Frey

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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LUMA Partners CEO Terry Kawaja to Speak at the Video Everywhere Summit

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Barry Frey

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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