Ep. 112 Programmatic Partnerships with Purpose: Andrew Cassin on Growth & Empathy Ad Tech Future

Andrew Cassin, Senior Director of Programmatic Partnerships at Cadent, joins AdTechGod to discuss what strong programmatic partnerships look like today, how the industry has moved beyond a “set it and forget it” mindset, the importance of building clean supply paths, and how to stay human as the industry continues to evolve.

Takeaways

• Partnerships now require active, outcome-driven deal design.
• “Set it and forget it” is gone, optimization and communication matter.
• Buyers expect cleaner supply paths and real transparency.
• Cadent’s ViewPlanner supports planning across linear, CTV, OLV, and YouTube.
• Brands and agencies lean on partners to navigate privacy, brand safety, and AI shifts.
• Career growth came from staying curious and learning by doing across roles.
• Hard moments reshaped Andrew’s leadership style toward empathy and authenticity.

Chapters

00:05 Andrew’s background and getting into programmatic early

01:13 Career path from Forbes to Rubicon, JWP Connatix, Equativ, and Cadent

05:37 What’s stayed constant through industry change

07:16 How brands and agencies rely on partners amid privacy, brand safety, and AI shifts

08:08 Cadent’s ViewPlanner acquisition and why YouTube matters

09:24 Why partnerships moved past “set it and forget it” deals

10:46 Clean supply, transparency, and standards expectations

12:33 How cancer changed Andrew’s perspective on relationships and work

18:08 Advice for newcomers: resources, mentors, and using LinkedIn well

21:07 What Andrew is excited about heading into 2026

24:12 Closing and holiday sendoff

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