Global programmatic media partner MiQ has named Andy Barnet as Managing Director, West, a move that underscores the company’s growing ambitions in the U.S. and the rising role of AI in shaping advertising technology. Based in Los Angeles, Barnet will oversee operations across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Nevada.

Barnet joins MiQ from Cast Iron Media, where he served as Senior Vice President. His résumé spans leadership stints at Ampersand, Xandr, and NBCUniversal—giving him the kind of hybrid experience in sales, data, and tech platforms that defines today’s programmatic battleground.

The Western U.S. has become a hotbed for media, entertainment, and tech-driven marketing. With Barnet steering MiQ’s regional strategy, the company is zeroing in on high-growth verticals including automotive, QSR, travel, fintech, and entertainment—sectors where AI-driven adtech is rapidly becoming table stakes.

The appointment also lands just as MiQ rolls out Sigma, its new AI-powered omnichannel platform. Sigma promises to let clients plan, activate, and measure campaigns across multiple platforms—without the usual fragmentation that plagues ad buys. That’s a subtle dig at walled gardens and an appeal to brands tired of juggling incompatible stacks.

Industry Context

MiQ’s bet on AI aligns with a wider trend: programmatic firms are racing to layer machine learning and AI agents into campaign planning and optimization. Competitors from The Trade Desk to Xandr have pitched similar promises, but MiQ is leaning hard on its “agnostic” approach—integration with any tech stack, rather than locking clients into a single ecosystem.

“Andy’s leadership, combined with our agnostic approach to adtech and the power of our new AI-driven platform, will enable us to deliver truly customized solutions,” said Marion Hargett, U.S. Chief Revenue Officer at MiQ.

Barnet’s Vision

Barnet, for his part, is framing the move as both client-focused and tech-forward. “I’m thrilled to join MiQ and contribute to its mission of driving results through innovative, AI-powered omnichannel platforms,” he said, pointing to Sigma as a differentiator in cutting waste and boosting efficiency for brands.

MiQ isn’t just hiring an executive—it’s betting on a strategy. As the programmatic market gets more crowded and AI arms races heat up, Barnet’s mix of sales acumen and tech fluency could help the company carve out bigger wins in the West. For brands in industries where competition is ruthless and margins tight, Sigma’s promise of seamless integration might just be the hook MiQ needs.

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