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Seraj Bharwani

Thought Leader

Seraj Bharwani is Chief Strategy Officer at Illumin, a journey advertising automation platform. He led the strategic repositioning of AcuityAds as Illumin, establishing a differentiated narrative in programmatic advertising. He is a recognized industry voice on consumer journey strategy in programmatic, with published work in AdExchanger, MediaPost, and other trade publications.

Last updated Jun 6, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team

Role
Chief Strategy Officer
Company
Illumin (formerly AcuityAds)
Based
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Years in industry
20 years

Bio

Seraj Bharwani is Chief Strategy Officer at Illumin, a journey advertising automation platform. He led the strategic repositioning of AcuityAds as Illumin, establishing a differentiated narrative in programmatic advertising. He is a recognized industry voice on consumer journey strategy in programmatic, with published work in AdExchanger, MediaPost, and other trade publications.

Expertise & education

Expertise

Programmatic AdvertisingConsumer Journey MappingConnected TV (CTV) AdvertisingIdentity ResolutionData Science in AdvertisingJourney Advertising AutomationAudience TargetingAdvertising Effectiveness Measurement

Education

  • MBA, Management (institution not publicly confirmed)
  • Engineering or quantitative undergraduate degree (institution not publicly confirmed)

Speaking topics

Consumer Journey Mapping in Programmatic AdvertisingConnected TV Strategy and MeasurementIdentity Resolution in a Post-Cookie WorldThe Future of Programmatic BuyingData Science Applications in Advertising Effectiveness

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Helped reposition AcuityAds as Illumin, a journey advertising automation platform, contributing to a differentiated market narrative in programmatic advertising
  • Recognized as a leading industry voice on consumer journey strategy in programmatic, with frequent bylines in AdExchanger, MediaPost, and other trade publications
  • Developed strategic frameworks for journey-based advertising that have influenced how brands approach cross-channel programmatic planning

Publications

  • Regular contributor to AdExchanger on programmatic strategy and CTV
  • Bylines in MediaPost on identity and the future of digital advertising
  • Thought leadership articles published via Illumin/AcuityAds on journey advertising