We power privacy-first
advertising for a thriving
Open Web
Our founders’ story
Permutive was founded in 2014 by Joe Root and Tim Spratt, alumni of Entrepreneur First and Y Combinator, with a bold vision: to create a world where data privacy and effective digital advertising coexist. Joe serves as CEO, and Tim as CTO of Permutive.
Where a privacy-first vision comes to life
The idea was born out of frustration with how user data was being misused and how opaque, inefficient data practices were harming trust across the advertising ecosystem. Joe and Tim recognized that for advertising to thrive in a privacy-first world, a radical new approach was needed - one that prioritized first-party data and consumer privacy without sacrificing performance.
Patented edge technology drives privacy and performance
That vision became a reality with the invention of Permutive’s patented Edge technology. Instead of relying on third-party cookies or invasive tracking, Permutive processes data directly on the device - at the edge - offering both privacy and precision. This innovation caught the attention of global investors, including EQT Ventures, Octopus Ventures, ACE & Company, and SoftBank Investment Advisers, who have invested $105 million to date.
Permutive is proudly headquartered in London, UK, with teams across Europe and the Americas.
Why Permutive?
The advertising ecosystem is broken. Legacy data systems rely on third-party cookies, opaque supply chains, and privacy-invasive tactics that are fast becoming obsolete. Permutive is reimagining advertising to meet the moment.
Our platform offers publishers comprehensive first-party data collection and enrichment, predictive insights, and seamless activation across direct and programmatic channels - all while respecting user privacy. For advertisers, Permutive provides privacy-safe access to high-quality audiences at scale through direct collaboration with publishers.
We don’t believe privacy and performance are mutually exclusive - they’re our foundation. That’s why over 150 of the world’s leading publishers trust Permutive to power more than $1B in audience ad-spend. Our clients include News Corp, Hearst, Sky, Condé Nast, BBC, The Guardian, Business Insider, and Axel Springer.
With Permutive, advertisers and publishers can finally build resilient, trusted relationships with their audiences.
Not just another
adtech company
Permutive is redefining what it means to do advertising technology right.
- YCombinator’s Top 150 companies of all time
- Top Momentum Leader in the DMP category - G2 Spring 2025 Report
- Gold at The 2024 Drum Awards for Media in the Programmatic Category
- AdExchanger’s Top 50 Programmatic Power Players 2024
- Best Data Management Platform - Digiday Technology Awards 2023
- These recognitions are more than industry praise - they’re proof that our privacy-first approach is setting the standard.
Where we are today
From a startup with a radical idea to a global company driving over $1B in ad-spend with premium publishers, Permutive has grown alongside the industry's shift toward privacy, transparency, and sustainability.
Our platform is used by publishers and media buyers across the globe - from North America to Europe to Latin America - who rely on us to power their audience strategies and advertising outcomes.
Even as we grow, our mission remains unchanged: to rebuild data in advertising to protect privacy and ensure the open web thrives.
Meet the rest of
the leadership team
Michael O’Grady
CFO
Michael has extensive experience in finance and executive roles at Castellan Solutions, TargetX, Ellucian, QlickTech, Ford Motor Company and Volvo Car Corporation. Michael joined Permutive as Chief Financial Officer in 2023.
Rhiannon Prothero
SVP of Marketing
Rhiannon has over two decades of marketing leadership experience at companies including Samsara, Zscaler, ServiceNow, and SAP. She joined Permutive as Senior Vice President of Marketing in 2024.
Chao Liao
VP of Strategy & Operations
Chao brings experience in commercial strategy and advertising from roles at Business Insider, Nativo, and Snaps. He joined Permutive as VP of Strategy & Operations in 2024.
Chloe Grutchfield
VP of Products
Chloe has held senior product leadership roles at Sourcepoint, Verve, and Telefónica, and co-founded RedBud Partners. She joined Permutive in 2023 and is our Vice President of Products.
Jeffrey Rosello
VP of Customer Success
Jeffrey brings customer success leadership experience from Brandwatch and RebelMouse. He joined Permutive as Vice President of Customer Success in 2024.
Lauren Stephenson
VP of People
Lauren brings over a decade of People leadership experience at companies including GroundTruth, Hearts & Science, and Omnicom Media Group, aligning talent strategy with business goals to drive growth, innovation, and inclusion. She joined Permutive in 2025 as Vice President of People.
Scott Dolce
VP of Sales
Scott brings sales leadership experience from Acquia and Oracle, and holds an MBA from Ithaca College. He joined Permutive as Vice President of Sales in 2025.