In a significant move for the European digital advertising sector, IAB Europe has announced a major conference focused on addressing critical challenges in the industry. The event, titled Advertising Horizons: Fuelling Europe's Digital Future, will take place at Sparks in Brussels on February 4, 2025, approximately 41 days from today.
According to the announcement made on December 19, 2024, the conference will bring together 150 selected attendees from across the policy and industry spectrum. The carefully curated speaker lineup includes senior executives from major technology companies, consumer organizations, and academic institutions.
Maria-Myrto Kanellopoulou, Head of Unit Consumer Law at DG Justice, European Commission, leads the regulatory perspective. The industry viewpoint will be represented by Kamal Janardhan, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, and Marisa Jiménez Martín, Public Policy Director and Deputy Head of EU Affairs at Meta.
The academic sector brings significant expertise through Patrick Waelbroeck, Professor of Economics at Telecom Paris/Institut Polytechnique de Paris. Consumer interests will be represented by Marco Pierani, Director of Public Affairs and Media Relations at Euroconsumers.
Technical innovation takes center stage with Romain Lerallut, VP and Head of Criteo AI Lab, while market intelligence insights will be provided by Oliver Pischke, Global Digital Director at Kantar. Daniel Knapp, Chief Economist at IAB Europe, rounds out the initial speaker announcement with his industry expertise.
The conference structure includes main stage presentations and concurrent lightning talks. These 10-minute presentations by senior executives from IAB Europe member companies will address industry topics and common misconceptions about digital advertising. The format allows for focused, data-driven discussions on specific challenges.
A significant portion of the conference focuses on four key areas: digital skills development, industry digitalization, consumer protection, and privacy innovation. The skills discussion will examine Europe's current position relative to other global regions, while the digitalization track explores technological implementation across various sectors.
The venue, Sparks, located at 60 rue Ravenstein in Brussels, will feature interactive spaces demonstrating recent technological developments in advertising creativity. This hands-on approach allows attendees to engage directly with emerging technologies and solutions.
The conference agenda allocates specific time blocks for networking, recognizing the importance of cross-industry collaboration. Lunch and refreshments will be provided to facilitate continuous discussion throughout the day.
The limited capacity of 150 attendees represents a deliberate choice to ensure meaningful interaction and discussion. According to the organizers, all registrations will undergo a review process to maintain a balanced representation across sectors.
Recent data from the European Commission indicates a growing need for digital skills across industries. This conference aims to address these challenges through practical discussions and potential solution frameworks. The timing aligns with several upcoming European legislative initiatives affecting the digital advertising sector.
Interactive sessions will examine the balance between innovation and consumer protection, a critical consideration as new technologies emerge. Discussions will explore practical implementations of privacy-preserving technologies while maintaining advertising effectiveness.
The conference reflects the increasing complexity of digital advertising operations in Europe, where technical innovation must align with regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. This intersection of policy, technology, and market demands creates unique challenges for industry stakeholders.
For verification of attendance, interested parties must register through the official IAB Europe channels. The organization will review applications and notify selected participants of their confirmed attendance status. This process ensures representation from various stakeholder groups while maintaining the intimate nature of the gathering.
The event marks a significant milestone in industry cooperation, bringing together diverse perspectives on digital advertising's future in Europe. Further speaker announcements are expected in the coming weeks, adding additional expertise to the already comprehensive program.