CitrusAd Expands Its Executive Board

By CIOReview | Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Three noteworthy new hires include Dana Concepcion, Maris Kastanos, and JR Crosby—all well-respected business leaders.

FREMONT, CA: CitrusAd, the fastest-growing retail marketing network in the country, has increased executive hiring as retailers and brands pursue experience in deploying optimal e-commerce strategies.

CitrusAd's technology began by helping marketers to use their first-party data to serve their personalization by supported goods and display ads. The cofounders, Brad Moran and Nick Paech, did not stop there as their team expanded, they listened to what the market demanded, and they designed up other features that retailers and brands required. Flexibility and versatility are paying off by recruiting new retailers, brands, and talent. Three noteworthy new hires include Dana Concepcion, Maris Kastanos, and JR Crosby—all well-respected business leaders.

Dana Concepcion, a veteran in retail media, has been laser-focused around the world's leading CPG brands throughout her tenure in HookLogic and later Criteo leadership positions. Most recently, the CPG team led Criteo with incredibly high development in the last two years. She brings 15 years of expertise in ad tech and retail advertising distribution to her current job at CitrusAd, as SVP, Media Sales.

"Concepcion will be responsible for distribution across the CitrusAds large-scale media network, ensuring consumer success, overseeing a community of professional sales and customer solutions administrators, and guiding strategy and sales excellence. As for its decision to join CitrusAd, Concepcion explained, Retail Media is the place to be. I have kept a keen eye on what everybody in space has been doing over the last year, how brands have wisely allocated their spending, and what they need in a holistic way to ensure sustained progress," says Dana.

"CitrusAd is forward thinking, having already gone beyond search, sponsored products and display media by introducing creative solutions like BannerX brand pages, shopper email and fixed tenancy. They are responsive to market needs in helping brands and retailers grow now and for the future. I like the energy and mindset of the people and believe they are on track to build the best retail media network," she added, "Brands and retailers are willing to test different technology providers, it helps them understand the space and by doing so they accelerate their business."

Maris Kastanos will join CitrusAd as Sr. Director of Sales, Media Network, after spending the last seven years at HookLogic and Criteo. Kastanos built and operated the Chicago market from the ground up in HookLogic. Like Concepcion, Kastanos was one of the top sales generators at HookLogic, enabling Criteo to start. Over 12 years of new marketing experience, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies to develop partnerships through CPG, consumer electronics, and toy brands, most recently helping them appreciate the importance of retail media. Kastanos expressed her excitement and reasons to join CitrusAd, "It is extremely exciting to be a part of such an innovative company that is finding new ways to engage the digital shopper on their journey. I look forward to helping CitrusAd further shape the retail media landscape as an industry leader."

JR Crosby joins CitrusAd as VP of Agency Strategy. His depth of expertise with agencies and the programmatic world can allow CitrusAds to develop and innovate the funnel continually. Crosby leaves Xaxis as their former SVP of Product & Planning, and before that, he was with Triad, where he headed the product strategy. Acting with business units at national organizations, shopper promotions, and performance agencies, Crosby will be the agencies' voice in delivering constant guidance to the CitrusAds website, network, and facilities. When asked what attracted him to CitrusAd, Crosby said, "There is a ton of warranted buzz surrounding retail media, and Im excited to bring CitrusAds intuitive platform to agencies as a key pillar of their eCommerce strategy. He added, If I were on the buy side, I would invest in the CitrusAd platform to gain transparency and maximize working media dollars."

CitrusAd Chief Revenue and Development Officer, David Haase stated, "We are excited to attract top talent that will serve the industry and our own company with great expertise and guidance. These trusted executives understand the value of a consultative approach combined with the nimbleness to address the needs of the market. Our growing team is a reassuring sign that we will continue to innovate to provide the best IP, technology and sales team in retail media."