The Trade Desk co-founder rejoins company
Ventura-based The Trade Desk welcomed a familiar face back into its C-suite recently.
The ad-tech firm announced that co-founder Dave Pickles, who previously served as CTO and stepped down in 2023, will be returning to The Trade Desk in a newly expanded technology leadership capacity.
“I’m thrilled by all the progress our engineering and product teams have made in recent years,” said Pickles. “The foundation here is strong, and I’m excited to support the team and help guide them through a new era of rapid change and opportunity.”
Announced Nov. 3, Pickles will establish and lead a new CTO Council, partnering with The Trade Desk’s engineering and product teams to provide direct guidance on the company’s core technology and product development roadmap.
The aim is to have Pickles shape the next generation of The Trade Desk’s ad platform, with a sharp focus on aligning technology strategy, architectural direction, operational excellence, and key engineering investments—including agentic capabilities and advanced AI-powered advertising workflows, according to the press release.
Co-founder and CEO Jeff Green said he is “excited” that Pickles is returning, saying he “missed working with him.”
“We’ve had so many successes together over the years, and I’m energized to take all of that history and point it toward the future. This is a pivotal crossroads for our company and the industry,” Green said.
Shares of The Trade Desk are up about 5% since the news, with the stock closing at $13.23 on Nov. 4.
