Brian O'Kelley

Brian O'Kelley
Name	Brian O'Kelley
Birth date	1972
Birth place	United States
Occupation	Entrepreneur, Executive
Known for	Co-founder and CEO of DataXu
Alma mater	Cornell University

Brian O'Kelley was an American technology entrepreneur known for co-founding the programmatic advertising firm DataXu and for his influence in digital advertising, analytics, and venture-backed startups. He worked at the intersection of advertising technology, media buying, and data science, engaging with firms, investors, and regulators across Silicon Valley, Boston, and New York. O'Kelley's career connected him to a wide network of companies, platforms, investors, and academic institutions that shaped programmatic advertising and digital media.

Early life and education

O'Kelley grew up in the United States and attended Cornell University, where he studied engineering and developed early interest in software, advertising, and analytics. During his time at Cornell University he interacted with campus groups and technology initiatives linked to entrepreneurship and product development. After graduation, he moved into roles that bridged technology at firms and startups in the Boston and New York technology ecosystems, connecting to professionals from Google and Microsoft as the digital advertising industry expanded.

Career

O'Kelley's early professional experience included roles at advertising and technology firms where he worked with clients and platforms including AOL, Time Warner, Comcast, HBO, and Viacom. He later built and led teams responsible for real-time bidding, auction mechanics, and campaign analytics that interfaced with services provided by Facebook, Twitter, Amazon (company), Snap Inc., and LinkedIn. His work required collaboration with vendors and partners such as The Trade Desk, AppNexus, MediaMath, DataXu (company), and ad exchanges operated by Google Ad Manager and OpenX. O'Kelley engaged with investors and venture firms including General Catalyst, Bessemer Venture Partners, Accel, and Sequoia Capital as programmatic advertising attracted capital and consolidation.

He was a recognizable figure at industry conferences and forums including Advertising Week, CES, DMEXCO, South by Southwest, and events hosted by Interactive Advertising Bureau and Advertising Research Foundation. His professional network extended to executives and founders such as the teams at Quantcast, Criteo, Adform, and agencies including WPP, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, and Interpublic Group of Companies. O'Kelley participated in product integrations with analytics platforms such as Nielsen, Comscore, and measurement initiatives involving Moat and DoubleVerify.

DataXu and entrepreneurship

As co-founder and CEO of DataXu, O'Kelley led development of demand-side platform technologies and programmatic marketplaces that worked alongside companies like The New York Times Company, Hearst Corporation, Gannett, Bloomberg L.P., and broadcasters such as NBCUniversal and Disney–ABC Television Group. DataXu's platform integrated with supply-side platforms and exchanges run by PubMatic and Index Exchange while negotiating partnerships with ad inventory providers including Verizon Media and Microsoft Advertising. Under his leadership, DataXu raised capital from investors including Sapphire Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and Analytic Partners and pursued acquisitions and strategic hiring from firms like Koch Industries portfolio companies and technology teams from eBay and PayPal.

O'Kelley oversaw product launches addressing cross-device identity, attribution modeling, and campaign optimization that intersected with identity solutions like LiveRamp and measurement standards advocated by Media Rating Council. DataXu competed and cooperated with programmatic platforms such as Rocket Fuel and Centro while engaging legal and policy discussions involving organizations like the Federal Trade Commission and coalitions of publishers represented by News Media Alliance.

Legal issues and settlement

O'Kelley and DataXu became involved in complex litigation and regulatory scrutiny around data practices, ad measurement, and procurement contracts with media buyers and advertisers. Lawsuits and investigations involved counterparties including large advertising agencies such as GroupM, Omnicom Media Group, Dentsu, and multinational advertisers represented by Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Legal discussions touched on service agreements and competitive practices familiar to corporate counsel from firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Kirkland & Ellis, and Latham & Watkins. Ultimately, contested claims were resolved through settlement agreements negotiated between DataXu, claimants, and insurers, with outcomes that restructured corporate governance and indemnity arrangements as often occurs in high‑stakes technology litigation.

Philanthropy and civic involvement

O'Kelley participated in philanthropic and civic initiatives tied to technology access, arts organizations, and educational institutions. He engaged with nonprofit and cultural institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology labs and entrepreneurship centers, supported programming at Cornell University and contributed to initiatives connected to Harvard Business School alumni networks. His philanthropic interests aligned with organizations promoting digital literacy, innovation, and workforce development, in the orbit of foundations and funders including regional Community Foundations, technology incubators like MassChallenge, and civic improvement groups in Boston and New York.

Personal life

O'Kelley balanced a career in technology with private family life and occasional public appearances at industry events and charity functions. He maintained connections to professional networks across Silicon Valley, Greater Boston, and New York City, and had relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, and executives from companies such as Benchmark (venture capital firm), Greylock Partners, NEA (New Enterprise Associates), and corporate leaders at AT&T. He kept a relatively private personal profile while participating in board roles, speaker panels, and mentorship programs associated with startup accelerators and venture communities.

Category:American technology chief executives Category:Cornell University alumni