Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance

Executive team

Tal Hayek

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer

Tal Hayek

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer

A passionate innovator with a history of success, Tal founded an ad-tech company called IncentAclick in 2004 which was acquired by a public entity. He remained a key contributor for the next two years, helping to grow the company’s revenue to over $100M in 2008. In 2009, Tal pivoted his experience building and managing high-growth companies to the world of digital advertising, and AcuityAds was born. In 2020, he led the company to IPO on the Nasdaq. Tal now looks forward to continued advancements within the industry of ad tech.

Dr. Nathan Mekuz PHD

Co-Founder, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Nathan Mekuz PHD

Co-Founder, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence

Nathan has been researching machine learning algorithms for statistical pattern recognition and predictive analytics since 1997, and his work has been published and cited in numerous professional publications, textbooks, and patents. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from York University, an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Western Ontario, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from York University. Through his expert guidance, AcuityAds’ machine learning algorithm has developed into an industry leader, utilizing bidding technology to optimize campaign performance in real-time.

Rachel Kapcan

Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer

Rachel Kapcan

Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer

Rachel began her career in the world-renowned Unit 8200 of the Israeli Intelligence Corps—whose alumni have founded the backbone of Israeli high-tech, including Check Point, ICQ, and AudioCodes. She specializes in managing multi-million dollar projects for major financial institutions. As a Co-Founder and the CIO at AcuityAds, she built and led the engineering team that developed its cutting-edge, AI-driven real-time bidding system for over 10 years. Rachel then moved to lead the Product and the Client Operations teams.

Elliot Muchnik

Chief Financial Officer

Elliot Muchnik

Chief Financial Officer

Elliot is a passionate, accomplished, and strategic leader with 25 years experience in the financial services and wealth management industry. He holds a BBA from York University, an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and is also a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Accountant. He previously served as CFO and Corporate Secretary of Richardson Wealth, a Canadian independent wealth management firm where he designed, developed, and led the firm from the great idea stage to an enduring market leader position in the Canadian wealth management industry. Muchnik brings his strong operational and finance background to his role as CFO at AcuityAds.

Neil Phasey

Chief Operating Officer

Neil Phasey

Chief Operating Officer

Neil has over 30 years of leadership experience as a business executive, consultant, and thought leader across multiple industries, with a specific focus in information technology. He is also a Certified Executive Coach who has provided support to industry leaders in topics related to leadership, entrepreneurship, emotional maturity in the workplace, and career/life transition. Neil has co-founded multiple organizations—including most recently—WishWell, a technology platform designed to support the emotional needs of others, and TRP Collaborative, a professional training and coaching company whose mission is to empower individuals and groups to take charge of their life experience by consciously managing perception, no matter what the circumstances. Neil’s incredible strategic, leadership, personal development, and interpersonal skills make him a welcome addition to AcuityAds as COO.

Seraj Bharwani

Chief Strategy Officer

Seraj Bharwani

Chief Strategy Officer

Seraj is responsible for advancing the state of omnichannel journey marketing. Seraj brings over 25 years of experience in the advertising technology industry with prior stints as co-founder of Strategy & Analytics at Digitas and CSO of Visible Measures where he led the development and adoption of third-party measurement for online video in partnership with Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Seraj is a graduate of MIT Media Lab.

Oren Hisherik

Chief Information Technology Officer

Oren Hisherik

Chief Information Technology Officer

As a proven leader in Information Technology with over 25 years of experience, Oren is experienced in helping companies grow their technological capabilities through keen insights and creative ideas. He previously held multiple Executive and R&D roles in Amdocs (a leading international communication/media service company) and ORSUS (a pioneer and innovator in developing Situation Management software solutions), where he managed high-profile business and digital transformation programs in both mobile and telco for AT&T, Verizon, and Rogers. Oren’s passion lies in tackling complicated problems with simple solutions, inspiring teams, and exploring new technologies to make the impossible happen. As the CITO at AcuityAds, he is responsible for technology, strategy, development, and the operations of AcuityAds’ systems.

Nadeem Ahmed

Chief Revenue Officer

Nadeem Ahmed

Chief Revenue Officer

Nadeem is a passionate, accomplished, and strategic leader with 30 years of experience in the Software Technology Industry. Nadeem holds a BMath from the University of Waterloo in Computer Science and a GMP from Harvard Business School. Nadeem is passionate about building and growing high-performance SaaS GTM teams. Nadeem has led organizations to double and triple-digit growth, most recently as the CRO at Clarify Health and various executive leadership roles at Salesforce.com. In his spare time, Nadeem volunteers with different groups to reduce the prevalence of gun violence in Canada and holds different board roles, including the SMSA Scholarship fund for new refugees in Canada.

Kristen Oliver

Chief Empowerment Officer

Kristen Oliver

Chief Empowerment Officer

Kristen holds a MSc in Occupational Therapy and has worked in the personal development field for over 20 years. She is an accomplished author, coach, and speaker. As CEmO of AcuityAds, Kristen will be focusing on cultivating a strong culture of empathy within an actively engaged and thriving AcuityAds community. She will be supporting us all to be our best selves, both personally and professionally.

Joe Ontman

Co-founder, Chief Business Development Officer

Joe Ontman

Co-founder, Chief Business Development Officer

In 1998, Joe founded OTA, a computer-supply company focusing on large enterprises. Along with his superior marketing team, Ontman defied the odds in an exceptionally competitive environment, landing clients which included Mount Sinai Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, Credit Suisse, The University of Toronto, The Government of Ontario, and many others. In 2007, he founded a successful affiliate marketing company specializing in client acquisitions via search marketing, email marketing, and media buys. Joe’s exceptional leadership skills and ability to win business make him a vital addition to AcuityAds’ leadership.