If 2022 was the year that brands first showed curiosity about data clean rooms, then 2023 has been the year for clarifying the platforms’ unique applications. That’s according to Lauren Wetzel, chief operating officer and board director of InfoSum.

Clean rooms are ecosystems in which multiple parties can combine their datasets to extract insights. With the continued de-emphasis of third-party cookies, marketers are having to learn new ways to target consumers. This is where InfoSum, and specifically Wetzel, comes in.

Over the past year, Wetzel, 36, has spearheaded the company’s efforts to make data clean rooms the new norm in targeted advertising. She has helped strike new partnerships with giants including Google and The Trade Desk, while expanding InfoSum’s remit to include retail, gaming and financial services.

This latter category has been especially important for InfoSum, Wetzel told Ad Age, for it has tested the provider’s ability to offer ecosystems that are both private and secure. Not only are these qualities critical for swaying clients, but they are also necessary for protecting the sources of clients’ data—that is, everyday people.

“We’re making the Disneys and Unilevers better by their consumers,” Wetzel said.

If you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Julia Child. She was one of the first women to host her own cooking show on television and is famously known for teaching a generation of food lovers that cooking can be easy and enjoyable. While I imagine our dinner with life-changing beef bourguignon, I am most keen to learn about her habits, values and motivators. Beyond mastering the art of French cooking, she was an incredibly successful entrepreneur. She learned to cook at 32, taught herself French at 36 and was a trailblazer for so many women. I want to learn more about her “why”—over an upside-down martini, of course.

What are the top two social media sites you use on a regular basis?

I’ve been able to make Instagram a more curated place for connecting with close friends and tapping into my areas of interest: fashion, design, real estate and travel. To engage in critical discussions about the industry, I’ve shifted time away from LinkedIn to be a bit more present on X as I find there are engaging industry leaders to learn from and a faster pace of conversation. Plus, it’s a great place to follow my Ravens and Blue Devils.

What’s currently on your bedside reading list?

I read from one book every morning: “The Daily Stoic.” It has become a ritual to read a page as a way to start my day and stay grounded. I’m also always reading a book purely for pleasure and a book to educate or challenge myself. Current rotation includes “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett and “The League” by John Eisenberg.

What was the last show you binge-watched?

“The Bear.” I was mourning the end of “Succession” and got through both seasons of “The Bear” over two weekends. I loved it. It is brilliant, warm and motivational, and I dare anyone to get through Episode 7, “Forks,” without a boost in serotonin and motivation.

At what age do you hope to retire?

I’ll have many retirements. I want to pick up new skills, enter new markets, take on new challenges and successfully see each chapter come to an end, so I can start a new one. When I retire from ad tech, I’ll most likely apply the skills I’ve learned to another area that is just as fast-paced, transformational and able to bring together wonderful humans.