Get in touchZeta Global Hires AI Veteran Nate Yohannes to Lead New Data & AI Innovation Lab

Zeta Global is placing a major bet on the future of AI-powered marketing—and it just brought in a heavyweight to lead the charge.

The AI Marketing Cloud company has appointed Nate Yohannes as President of its newly formed Zeta Data & AI Lab and Global Head of R&D. With a résumé that includes key roles at Meta, Microsoft, and the White House, Yohannes steps into a pivotal position with a dual mandate: accelerate Zeta’s innovation engine and shape the next generation of marketing technology.

Yohannes, who most recently led GenAI product development in Ads Ranking at Meta, brings a rare blend of AI vision and product execution. At Meta, he was instrumental in developing Llama-based AI systems that now underpin its core advertising platform. Before that, he served in Microsoft’s Office of the CTO, where his work centered on scaling AI and inclusive innovation.

Now, he’s turning that expertise to Zeta, where expectations are high and the mission is ambitious: turning bold ideas into new revenue streams and marketing breakthroughs.

A New Lab for the AI Age

Yohannes will report to Christian Monberg, Zeta’s Chief Technology Officer, and lead the Zeta Data & AI Lab, an innovation unit tasked with identifying, testing, and scaling transformative technologies. Think of it as Zeta’s internal skunkworks—part R&D hub, part AI incubator, all focused on pushing marketing tech beyond today’s playbook.

The lab’s remit is broad but laser-focused: tap into Zeta’s deep proprietary data, leverage advanced AI, and move fast. Whether that means developing new ad ranking systems, predictive analytics, or novel customer experiences, Yohannes will be at the helm.

“With Nate’s leadership, we’re accelerating our innovation engine and turning today’s breakthroughs into tomorrow’s industry standards,” said David A. Steinberg, Zeta’s Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO. “He’s equal parts visionary and builder.”

Why This Matters: AI in Marketing Is Reaching a Tipping Point

Zeta’s move comes at a time when GenAI is rapidly reshaping the marketing landscape—from campaign automation and predictive modeling to customer personalization at scale. Companies are scrambling to adapt, but few have the data infrastructure or AI fluency to lead.

With Yohannes, Zeta gains both. The hire signals that Zeta isn’t just trying to keep up with AI innovation—it’s aiming to set the pace.

In his own words, Yohannes is “honored to join Zeta at such a pivotal moment,” citing the company’s proprietary platform, bold vision, and strong leadership as key differentiators. He plans to focus on building breakthrough products, attracting top talent, and delivering measurable impact for clients.

The Bigger Picture: Talent and Tech as Growth Drivers

This move aligns with a broader trend across enterprise tech: R&D is no longer a backroom function—it’s a strategic engine for growth. By launching a dedicated AI lab and putting a seasoned operator like Yohannes in charge, Zeta is positioning itself to lead in an era where AI will define who thrives and who gets left behind.

And if Zeta can turn even a fraction of its AI ambitions into client-ready solutions, it could very well define what the next wave of marketing looks like. with our MarTech Experts.