Former Dentsu Media Americas CEO Doug Rozen has joined e-commerce tech firm Rokt as chief marketing officer.

The hiring comes as Rokt prepares for an IPO while attempting to seize on continued growth in e-commerce sales, which are expected to account for more than 20% of all retail sales by 2027, according to a recent Insider Intelligence forecast. 

Rokt’s specialties include using AI and machine learning to target relevant messages to buyers to drive incremental sales, often at the moment they purchase items. For instance, last year the firm struck a deal with Uber that involves serving offers as consumers check out of Uber purchases, such as a discount offer from Hulu. Other clients include Lyft, Live Nation, AMC Theatres, PayPal, Staples, GoPuff, Lands’ End, HelloFresh, Six Flags, Spirit Airlines, Klarna and more.

Founded in 2011 with roots in Australia, New York-based Rokt last year stated it had a valuation of $2.4 billion, following an earlier $325 million Series E funding round led by Tiger Global.

Rozen joined the company nearly four months after he left Dentsu amid a large reorganization at the ad agency holding company. He held the media CEO role for more than four years and was previously chief media officer for 360i before it was merged into Dentsu Creative in June 2022. 

Read more: Doug Rozen exits Dentsu

At Rokt he will be charged with overseeing all global marketing efforts, including brand, performance, employee, product and sales marketing functions, while serving on Rokt’s executive committee, reporting to Chief Commercial Officer Elizabeth Buchanan. 

“We are in an exciting period of growth at Rokt and Doug’s broad marketing expertise will help us accelerate the strong momentum we’ve built to date in multiple markets around the world,” Buchanan said in a statement.

Rozen in an interview said Rokt is “really well positioned” with a “powerful e-commerce platform that has been built over 10 years using AI and machine learning to really present highly relevant offers,” while having “a scaled network that together powers billions of transactions.”

“To come in at this moment as chief marketing officer really important. It's pre-IPO, there’s a huge opportunity,” he said, adding that “the next 24 months are going to be really massively important as e-commerce continues to grow.”

His hire comes in the wake of other recent executive additions, including the June hire of former Amazon Ads Director Srishti Gupta into the chief product officer role. In September Rokt hired Terry Bowen as president and chief operating officer, reporting directly to CEO Bruce Buchanan, who is married to Elizabeth Buchanan. Bowen had been a partner at Australian private equity firm BGH Capital. 

Rokt’s marketing includes a partnership struck earlier this year with Formula One’s Oracle Red Bull Racing, involving a diversity effort that includes the recruitment of females for the Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports team.

But internally, Rokt has dealt with its own diversity issues, including allegations of misogynistic and sexist conduct. Many of the allegations were documented in a lengthy story published in March by Business Insider based on interviews with current and former employees, including details of a 2020 incident. That incident involved a virtual company-wide meeting that included the use of a photo of an employee posing in blackface as Michael Jackson at an event in 2012. 

Rokt in a statement to Ad Age said: “While we cannot comment on individual matters regarding former employees, we take pride in developing a diverse workforce and a safe and comfortable environment for all employees.”

Rozen said, “I can’t comment on things I wasn't here for nor part of.” He added that “anyone who knows me and the work I’ve done to remove barriers in the business world, especially over the last couple of years, it is something I’m really excited to ensure is top of mind as we continue to move forward.”

While at Dentsu, Rozen was involved in the company’s Economic Empowerment offering. The offering aimed to combat inequities in media buying with programs meant to encourage clients to increase spending with Black-owned and diverse-owned media companies.

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CORRECTION: A previous version of the story incorrectly stated that Rozen is Rokt’s first CMO.