Get to know Samir Chabab, Ogury’s Vice President of Marketing

As the newest member of Ogury’s Marketing team, we sat down with Samir to learn more about him, his career, his aspirations and his perspective on the future of Ogury and the industry.

Can you tell us a bit more about your background leading up to Ogury?
Sure! I have a long history in ad tech. When I was at Google, I built innovative value propositions and defined customer-first go-to-market strategies. I then joined Index Exchange when they were just starting out in Europe to drive their international expansion using marketing as a business acceleration tool. During my time there, I led the marketing and communications functions to launch the company’s brand in Europe and Asia, increase its visibility and ensure brand maintenance by building a value proposition that met the expectations of publishers and agencies in each market.

What excites you the most about joining us?
The fight for premium journalism is something that I am personally invested in. Digital advertising plays a key role for publishers to operate and produce quality content. Ogury’s values are 100% aligned with this and contribute to a fair ecosystem that allows the open web to thrive. What’s more, Ogury puts consumer privacy at the forefront of every action and tech innovation. It challenges existing industry norms to meet consumer demand for better privacy by leveraging personas instead of personal data, and equips advertisers with a future-proof alternative to cookies. Ensuring that our work benefits publishers while respecting the end consumer is critical to me, and one of the reasons why I joined the company. Ogury’s commitment to sustainability is also not to be taken lightly. The company has taken conscious actions to drive positive change, such as optimizing digital emissions to reduce its carbon footprint, educating employees on the importance of sustainability and giving back by partnering with expert organizations.

What will be your priorities for the next 12 months?
Ogury continues to expand on a global scale, which is super exciting! My goal for the next 12 months will be to create consistency and cohesion across all our markets around the world, focusing on getting our messaging across effectively and developing a customer-first mindset, so that everything we do is carried out with the customer in mind. I will be setting this vision for my team and making sure we have the necessary tools and structure to support it, while empowering each other. At Ogury, our values are an integral part of our everyday life and DE&I has been key for us to ensure employees can bring their most authentic selves to work.

Is that something that resonates with you? 
Absolutely! DE&I policies are paramount for any company and something I am very passionate about, especially being an active member of the LGBTIQA+ community. Everyone is different, and everyone needs to be accepted and celebrated. It’s important that our industry normalizes that. At Index Exchange for example, I spearheaded the creation of the Index Pride affinity group and was part of the Index Women’s Network. As I join Ogury, I’m looking forward to being part of an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. I’m eager to contribute to the company’s ongoing DE&I efforts and to help make a difference inside and outside Ogury’s walls.

What advice would you give to aspiring marketers?
Marketing is a dynamic field, and what works today might not work tomorrow. My leadership approach is to always encourage a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation to help aspiring marketers thrive in this ever-changing landscape. My top advice would be to stay ethical, authentic, and always act with integrity – this is actually one of Ogury’s values that resonated the most with me. Also, marketers should stay curious and informed. Because the digital advertising landscape is constantly evolving, it’s very important to stay connected. Finally, I would encourage them to always use data whenever possible to make informed decisions.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself.
Something unexpected about me is that I’m incredibly passionate about pop culture, with a special interest in the iconic Britney Spears (yes, you’ve read that right). While many might see this as a casual interest, delving into the world of pop culture has been an eye-opening journey for me. It’s shown me the glaring double standards that persist in our society. Through Britney’s experiences and the broader lens of pop culture, I’ve come to realise how pervasive and harmful these double standards can be. It’s inspired me to advocate for change and challenge these norms wherever I can. I believe that by being aware and speaking out, we can make strides towards a more equitable and understanding society for everyone. So, while I may be known for my love of catchy tunes and glamorous performances, there’s a deeper passion that drives me – the pursuit of a fairer world for all.

(Also, anyone who wants to start a book club and discuss “The Woman in Me”, please reach out! 🙂 )