Played a pivotal role in driving the change
Displayed an in-depth understanding of the publishing and ad operations ecosystem
Made an outstanding overall contribution to the media industry
GPL 2024 aims to honor the leaders in publishing ecosystem who are making the difference. We cordially invite you to join us & get the recognition you deserve.
We assess the list of global publishing leaders after the rigorous selection process. It includes of both publishers and ad operations as per the following criteria. .
After a thorough selection process, we evaluate a list of global publishing leaders that encompasses both publishers and advertising operations who have:
Have made a mark in the industry, be it pioneering strategies, setting new records, or anything significant
Sustained growth and scalability, marked by expanding market reach or notable increases in revenue
Have played a pivotal role in driving the change in industry.
Amanda Hesser is the co-founder and CEO of Food52, a leading innovator in the food, cooking, and home space named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2020. Today, Food52 has a monthly reach of more than 24 million people.
Until 2008, Amanda was a reporter, feature writer, and food editor at The New York Times. She is the author of the award-winning books Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover’s Courtship, with Recipes and The Cook and the Gardener, and she edited Eat, Memory. Her The Essential New York Times Cookbook was a New York Times Best Seller. Amanda has been named one of the 50 most influential women in food by Gourmet. She's also served on President Obama's Commission on White House Fellowships. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and twins.
Lech Mazur is the CEO of Advameg, Inc. for the last 19 years.
Headquartered in Illinois, Advameg has a portfolio of over 50 sites. Cumulatively the network gets 23 million monthly unique visitors a month. The sites cover a diverse range of topics cover topics from science to business, history to health, and much more. Some of its popular sites include Quantcast.com and City-data.com.
Advameg's sites create content that scores high on EAT parameters. Consequently, these are frequently referenced by the media, including CNN, The New York Times, Fox News, CNBC, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker.
Adrian Tsung-han Wu works as the Product Manager at Dcard. He is a business leader with a keen interest in advertisement and monetization strategy. He leads the new monetization product line of the Dcard Ad Platform, an automated, user-friendly, precisely targeted, and high-performance ad delivery system.
Dcard is the largest anonymous campus social network and forum in Taiwan. It allows its users to share ideas without fear, regardless of background, age, or interest.
Such is the popularity of this Taiwanese social networking site that is has gained 30 million users since it began operations in 2015.
Shasta Mir handles programmatic and ad ops at Sky Media.
In a career spanning over 25 years, Shasta has been in the digital ads ecosystem for over 17 years. She has worked with several well-known media businesses such as News UK, 90mn, and A&N media.
Shasta's extensive work in digital media makes her a leader with established credentials like a few others.
Paul Nikkel is the founder of Pepper.com, the world’s largest Shopping community. It offers its users the best shopping deals.
With a presence across 12 countries, Pepper.com receives around 500 million page views every month.
After completing his Ph.D. from The University of Sheffield, Paul has launched several ventures. Apart from Pepper, he has founded Quidco and HotUKDeals. He is a partner at 6 Minutes Media and Tipping Canoe.
Chris is the General Manager for WRAL Digital Solutions and Capitol B Creative Studios. A proven leader with over a decade of experience scaling sales and marketing teams, he is responsible for overseeing Capitol Broadcasting Company's digital sales and agency strategies.
Chris is also passionate about helping the local media industry develop sustainable and thriving business models for the future and serves on the Local Media Association's Board of Directors. He has spoken at industry conferences on topics ranging from leadership and organizational realignment, to sales structures and digital marketing.
Sebastiaan Kaland is the owner and founder of Prospektangebote.de, which publishes brochures of large and small business chains in Germany. It covers supermarkets, hardware, electronics, fashion, toys, computers, and drug stores. It also includes local mom-n-pop store brochures. Users can bookmark their favorite store by clicking on the heart to get regular and timely updates on new products and offers. Prospetangebote is also available on android and iOS apps.
Sebastiaan also owns two other websites that provide similar promotional content - Folderz.nl ad Kingbee.nl. France, Germany, and the Netherlands are his primary target markets.
Yigal Ben Efraim is the founder and CEO of STANDS4. It owns the sites abbreviations.com and definitions.net, which have 2 million and 6 million monthly active users, respectively.
STANDS4 is a leading provider of free online reference resources, serving millions of unique visitors worldwide with genuine content through its network of reference websites and content partners.
Efrain is also the Managing Director of business Ostokone SL for the past seven years.Yigal founder STANDS4 in 2001. By 2005 it attracted a lot of good attention and won several awards. The most notable ones are Writers Digest's Best websites for 2005 and the American Library Association Best Free Reference Web Sites 2010.
Pepe Medrano Gómez is a Programmatic, Tech & Data Analyst at Webedia- a media-tech company and one of the world's leading players in digital entertainment. It is based in Madrid.
Pepe began his career in 2013 and has worked in numerous companies since then. He is a certified Official Google Analytic and Marketing Digital. Among his skills are Data analysis, programmatic purchase of advertising spaces, GDPR compliance, project management, and developing mobile applications.
Suryansh Tibarewal is a digital nomad who believes in the internet's power. When he was 14, he made his first dollar in the digital realm, and he has since focused on using the web to grow on new projects. He learned the intricacies of developing a worldwide business while working at Booking.com.
As co-founder and growth lead at EssentiallySports.com, Suryansh is the co-founder and growth lead of EssentiallySports, a digital-first sports media business founded in 2014 to provide sports fans with a digital-first platform to experience their favorite sports.
EssentiallySports strives to be the go-to platform to service the fan's requirements with a fan's perspective in a world where post-match conferences are held on Zoom, boxers generate anticipation around their battles on Twitter, and tennis stars provide sneak-peeks into their life through Instagram. In the company, Suryansh is responsible for digital strategy, partnerships, and product roadmap, to disrupt traditional media coverage with the power of the Internet and Fans.
Khayum Basha is a well-known digital ad expert and is the chief manager of digital ad operations of one of South India’s leading e-papers and news portals - Eenadu.
Eenadu is India's most widely distributed Telugu-language daily newspaper, mostly in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Khayum is a personification of intelligence and poise. He has extensive experience establishing and managing advertising businesses. He also has good interpersonal communication skills and is well-connected in South India's advertising operations sector.
Mato Barisic is a writer, editor, and columnist for Index.hr, one of Croatia's largest news portals.
Mato Barisic, a well-known name in Croatian internet news publishing, graduated from the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Law. He works professionally in internet advertising, and his hobbies include analyzing financial markets and creating blogs on a variety of themes. His distinct writing style and exceptional ability to gather data in any situation set him apart from other news journalists in the country.
Stephen Irenski works at TMB (Trusted Media Brands) as a Senior Director at Programmatic Revenue. TMB is the world's leading community-driven entertainment company. Stephen has been working in the company since March 2021.
Stephen started his journey as an assistant teacher in New Jersey Institute for Disabilities. In addition to his leadership capabilities, he has great team management skills and excellent social skills.
Mark Haraburda has been the CEO of Barchart since May 2016. He was the Managing Director of Business Development and Sales at Barchart from 2007 until 2010. Previously, he worked for the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (Cboe) (CBOT).
Mark Haraburda has been the CEO of Barchart since May 2016. He was the Managing Director of Business Development and Sales at Barchart from 2007 until 2010. Previously, he worked for the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (Cboe) (CBOT).
Mark, who has over two decades of experience in finance, marketing, and ad operations, is undoubtedly playing an important part in the general development of the publishing sector.
Jonathan MacDougall is an Ad Ops Revenue Specialist at Valnet. He has been in the company since February 2018. Valnet is a leader in Online Media Publishing, creates and distributes original content for its brands and audiences, worldwide.
Jonathan started his career in 2015 as an Associate. He is certified with CSC (Canadian Securities Course) from Canadian Securities Institute. Jonathan is proficient in English and french. He has great work ethics, creativity and adaptabilty.
Oda Sham works for Group Nine Media. She started her career with DailyMail.com in 2014 as the Senior Director of Ad Operations & Client Services and is currently the Senior Vice President of Business Operations.
Now a part of Vox Media, Group Nine has the most optimistic, fast-moving, deeply connected brands. Group Nine's brands are built for the platforms where young people spend their time. In the field of advertising and digital media, Oda has extensive skills.
Shane Fulmer is the founder of World Population Review and a freelance web developer based in Lancaster, PA.
With a passion for coding across the stack, Shane is currently focused on front-end development using React, while also enjoying the challenge of writing C# applications and exploring data visualisation.
Beyond his work in tech, Shane is an avid traveller, music enthusiast, and sports fan who enjoys both playing and watching games. His diverse interests and skills make him a versatile and dedicated professional in the world of web development.
Xing Li is the visionary founder of FanFiction.Net, the world's largest fanfiction archive. Along with a group of dedicated individuals, including several UCLA students, he developed the platform in the fall of 1998.
Li's innovation provided a unique space for writers and readers to share and explore fan-created stories, transforming the landscape of online fiction.
HHis work has inspired countless writers worldwide, making FanFiction.Net a cornerstone of the online literary community. Li's legacy continues to influence the growth of fan culture and creative expression on the internet.
Nikos Psaltopoulos is a seasoned leader in building resilient tech companies, driven by a strong focus on people and culture.
With extensive experience in fast-growth multinational SaaS and DaaS companies, Nikos excels in designing and implementing strategies for startups, scale-ups, and established enterprises.
He has successfully led global teams, delivering key initiatives across markets in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia.
His expertise spans critical functions such as People & Culture, Communications, Finance, Business Technology, Legal & Compliance, and Workplace & Events. Nikos is a collaborative leader dedicated to optimising and scaling teams worldwide.
Flowsion Shekar is a visionary co-founder of Koreaboo, an entertainment and digital media company that captivates over 60 million monthly users worldwide.
A driving force behind the global rise of K-Pop, Flowsion has been an integral part of the Hallyu Wave since 2010, sharing his insights on platforms such as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, and SXSW, where he spoke at the first-ever panel on K-Pop.
He also co-founded and produced KCON, an annual K-Pop festival that has expanded to six countries, attracting over 230,000 attendees in 2017 alone.
Flowsion's passion and expertise continue to shape the global cultural landscape, making him a key figure in the entertainment industry.
Koen Dantuma is the Founder & Managing Director of Symbaloo Europe and CEO of Aristoteles Webconsultancy.
With a strong focus on bridging the gap between technology and end-users, Koen excels at making complex technological concepts accessible and understandable for all.
His expertise lies in ensuring that both the technical and customer perspectives are aligned, resulting in solutions that are not only innovative but also user-friendly.
Under his leadership, Symbaloo has become a key player in the European edtech market, while Aristoteles Webconsultancy continues to thrive by delivering impactful web solutions.
Koen is dedicated to creating technology that empowers users, driving both business growth and customer satisfaction.
Matt Sayle is the founder of The Georgia Gazette, an independent news platform dedicated to providing local, in-depth reporting on Georgia's communities.
With a passion for journalism and storytelling, Matt established the outlet to fill a gap in quality news coverage, focusing on transparency and accountability.
His vision has been to give a voice to underserved areas and spotlight important regional issues.
Under his leadership, The Georgia Gazette has grown into a trusted resource for Georgians, combining investigative reporting with human-interest stories to create a balanced and informative media experience.
Robert Pavlick is the founder of The Gear Page, a premier online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects, and related gear.
With a deep passion for advertising technology, Robert specialises in creating innovative advertising products and revenue optimization strategies tailored for digital media.
His expertise lies in discussion forums that cater to enthusiast interests, where he excels in performance marketing and programmatic advertising.
Robert's dedication to advancing the digital advertising landscape has made him a respected figure in the industry.
Libor Valach is the owner and founder of Jigsaw Planet, an innovative online platform that allows users to create, share, and solve virtual jigsaw puzzles.
With a passion for technology and puzzle-solving, Valach developed Jigsaw Planet to bring the timeless joy of jigsaw puzzles to the digital age.
Under his leadership, the platform has become a popular destination for puzzle enthusiasts worldwide, offering a vast library of user-generated puzzles.
Valach's vision combines creativity, entertainment, and user engagement, making Jigsaw Planet a unique and accessible space for both casual and dedicated puzzle solvers.
AdPushup is a revenue optimization platform that helps publishers increase their ad revenue using automated A/B testing, header bidding, innovative ad formats, and adblock recovery. We are a Google Certified Publishing Partner (GCPP) and backed by Microsoft Ventures.