OpenX is doubling down on the buy side in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The omnichannel supply-side platform (SSP) announced the appointment of Natalie Fisher-Brown as Regional Vice President, EMEA Buyer Development. In the newly created role, she will lead OpenX’s buy-side sales and account management teams across the region, with a mandate to deepen agency and brand relationships and accelerate long-term growth.

The move comes as advertisers across EMEA wrestle with fragmented supply paths, rising demands for transparency, and growing sustainability scrutiny—pressures that are reshaping how SSPs position themselves in the programmatic ecosystem.

A Strategic Bet on Buyer Relationships

Traditionally, SSPs focused heavily on publisher relationships, optimizing yield and managing supply. But in recent years, the lines between buy-side and sell-side collaboration have blurred. As agencies demand clearer supply paths and higher-quality inventory, SSPs are investing more directly in buyer-facing teams.

Fisher-Brown will oversee senior-level partnerships across agencies and brands, working to build strategic collaborations that support what OpenX describes as responsible innovation and sustainable growth. Her remit includes strengthening key markets across EMEA and aligning regional strategy with global buyer development initiatives.

Her appointment follows recent OpenX hires in France and Germany, signaling continued regional expansion.

“Natalie is an exceptional leader with a deep understanding of buyer decision-making and agency dynamics,” said Joseph Worswick, VP, Buyer Development EMEA/APAC at OpenX. “As we continue to scale across the region, Natalie’s leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our position and reinforcing OpenX’s role as a trusted and innovative advertising partner.”

Why This Matters in Today’s Programmatic Landscape

EMEA remains one of the most complex programmatic regions globally. Advertisers are navigating:

• Fragmented supply paths and opaque auction dynamics

• Heightened scrutiny over brand safety and ad quality

• Sustainability and carbon-reduction expectations

• Evolving privacy regulations across multiple jurisdictions

In that environment, SSPs are under pressure to demonstrate more than scale. They must prove quality, transparency, and operational integrity.

OpenX has positioned itself as a proponent of supply-path optimization (SPO), direct publisher relationships, and sustainability standards. Strengthening buyer development leadership aligns with that strategy, particularly as agencies increasingly consolidate spend toward partners that offer clear, measurable value.

By reinforcing direct partnerships in EMEA, OpenX aims to keep the region central to its innovation roadmap rather than treating it as a satellite market.

Fisher-Brown’s Background

Fisher-Brown brings more than two decades of experience across media, advertising, and adtech. Her résumé includes senior leadership roles at Criteo, Yahoo, and Verizon, where she built and scaled commercial teams across Europe.

Most recently, she served as Global Head of Sales at WeTransfer, overseeing global commercial strategy and brand and agency partnerships. During her tenure, the platform positioned itself as a creative-friendly advertising destination, emphasizing premium formats and high-impact experiences.

That blend of agency dynamics, adtech infrastructure, and brand-focused sales experience positions her well for a role that requires navigating both technical and strategic conversations.

“I’m incredibly excited to join OpenX at such a pivotal moment for our industry,” Fisher-Brown said. “This role brings together a purpose-led business, real growth at scale, and the opportunity to help shape an industry built on quality, trust, and sustainability.”

The Bigger Picture: SSP Evolution

The SSP market has matured significantly over the past five years. Consolidation, SPO deals, and platform rationalization have narrowed the field, while buyers have become more selective about their partners.

In parallel, sustainability has moved from talking point to procurement consideration. Agencies and holding companies are increasingly evaluating partners based on environmental impact metrics alongside performance indicators.

For OpenX, investing in senior regional leadership reflects a recognition that growth in EMEA won’t come from scale alone. It requires high-touch partnerships, consultative selling, and alignment with evolving buyer expectations.

The company’s recent hiring momentum in France and Germany suggests it sees localized expertise as a competitive differentiator in a region where regulatory frameworks, language, and media buying practices vary widely.

The Bottom Line

OpenX’s appointment of Natalie Fisher-Brown as RVP, EMEA Buyer Development underscores a broader shift in programmatic advertising: SSPs must court buyers as actively as they manage supply.

With transparency, sustainability, and supply quality dominating industry conversations, strong regional leadership may be one of the most effective ways to stay competitive.

For OpenX, the message is clear. In a fragmented and scrutinized market, relationships—and the leadership behind them—matter more than ever.

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