Laura Desmond

Laura Desmond is one of the most recognized executives to have crossed over from the upper echelons of global media agency leadership into the venture capital world. As the former CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group — at the time one of the largest media agencies globally with over $35 billion in billings and thousands of employees across more than 100 countries — she built a reputation for driving data-driven media strategy, championing audience-based buying, and pushing the industry toward greater accountability and measurement rigor. Her tenure at SMG helped define how large brands approached programmatic media, data partnerships, and cross-channel planning during a pivotal transformation era. After her time at Starcom MediaVest Group and a subsequent role connected to Publicis Groupe's innovation initiatives, Desmond transitioned into venture investing as an Operating Partner at Acrew Capital, a growth-stage venture firm. In this capacity, she applies her deep operational knowledge to evaluate and support AdTech and MarTech portfolio companies, helping founders navigate the complexities of enterprise sales cycles, agency relationships, and scaling go-to-market strategies within the advertising ecosystem. Desmond is widely regarded as a bridge figure between the buy side and the technology startup community. Her ability to translate the needs of major advertisers and agencies into actionable product and business strategy makes her a sought-after voice on topics ranging from media transparency and brand safety to the future of identity resolution and AI-driven marketing. She has been a consistent presence on industry stages and in boardrooms, advocating for innovation that serves both marketers and consumers.

• Bachelor's Degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Led Starcom MediaVest Group to over $35 billion in global media billings as CEO
• Oversaw SMG's expansion to 100+ countries with thousands of employees globally
• Transitioned from agency CEO to venture capital Operating Partner, becoming a prominent bridge between Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley
• Championed data-driven and programmatic media strategies at scale during a critical industry transformation period