Interact 2025 will shine a light on the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of digital advertising and marketing.
Taking place over two days, the event will begin on 20th May at nHow Brussels, where we’ll officially kick things off with an evening networking reception—the perfect opportunity for all attendees to connect ahead of the main conference. On 21st May, the main event will unfold into morning and afternoon sessions. Interact will close with an evening networking event at Rooftop 58, providing attendees with more opportunities to connect and interact.
Check out the 2025 agenda below, and stay tuned as we unveil more details.
Agenda (CET)
Interact 2025 kicks off in Brussels with an evening of networking and welcome drinks—open to all attendees at nHow Brussels (Rue Royale 250, 1210 Bruxelles). This is your chance to meet industry peers, reconnect with colleagues, and set the tone for the discussions ahead.
SEE AGENDA HERE and scroll below for a more detailed one.
Morning Sessions
(located in the Plenary room)
After an evening of networking, Day 2 will open with our Chief Economist, Daniel Knapp taking to the stage to unveil the latest AdEx Benchmark Results for 2024. The morning will continue with high-profile speakers delivering inspiring keynotes and insightful academic anecdotes, setting the stage for thought-provoking discussions:
8:45 - 9:30 - Registration (Coffee and a Warm Welcome)
9:30 - 9:40 - Welcome & Introduction with Host Joanna Burton
9:40- 10:15 - 2024 AdEx Benchmark Report: Exclusive First Look at the Results
In this opening keynote presentation, our Chief Economist, Daniel Knapp will set the scene on European Digital Advertising investment. Daniel will reveal the top-level results from IAB Europe’s widely-anticipated 2024 AdEx Benchmark Report to show where future advertising growth will come from. Released at Interact, the AdEx Benchmark is the definitive guide to digital advertising expenditure in Europe covering 28 markets. Daniel will dive into the different channels and formats and other macroeconomic factors that have contributed to the latest ad spend results and will share everything you need to know about the digital advertising landscape, and where it is headed in Europe, today.
10:15 - 10:40 - All is (Digital) Flux: The Brand perspective
Fireside chat between Alison Keith, Global Head of Media Excellence, Kraft Heinz and Constantine Kamaras, Chairman Emeritus, IAB Europe
Following Daniel Knapp’s investment update, hear the advertiser’s perspective on digital investment and innovations. In a fireside chat with Constantine Kamaras, Alison will share her insights on what Kraft Heinz is prioritising, detailing the channels and formats that are fuelling their growth and innovation. She will address diverse critical issues such as Creativity & Brand Building, the evolution of Media spend and Metrics while touching upon Measurement, Targeting & Attribution.
10:40 - 11:05 - From Brainwaves to Brand Waves
Bernard Marchant, CEO, ROSSEL Group
Here we will hear a publisher’s perspective. Since taking over the leadership of the Rossel Group in 2001, Bernard Marchant has helped the media group double in size, while maintaining its financial and strategic independence. In his keynote address, he will cover key pillars of strategy such as Content, Distribution and Monetisation while outlining the fundamental elements of a successful advertising strategy for premium publishers.
11:05 - 11:30 - Coffee Break
11:30 - 11:55 - Thrive or Die for Marketing & Customers of the Future: Are You Ready?
Dominique Rose Van-Winther, Chief AI Evangelist, CEO, Final Upgrade AI
AI is at the forefront of modern marketing, but most are stuck in the genius gridlock of AI on how to move forward. This session demystifies the AI space by covering trends, opportunities, myths, and misconceptions, as well as getting into practicalities. Forget the fluff. Dominique will talk about real examples of companies using AI in new ways, and you’ll have a live AI multi-tooling demonstration on smarter, faster, more creative work to show you what the future of work looks like. Attendees will learn how to bring AI into an organization and drive transformation.
11:55 - 12:20 - Retail Media Reloaded: Its time to talk about creativity, collaboration and effectiveness in Retail Media with Colin Lewis, Co-founder, Retail Media Works
In this keynote presentation, Colin will be drawing from his direct experience working with brands and retailers around the globe such as Barilla, Fonterra, Optimum Nutrition, Superdrug, Very Group Ocado (UK) , Migros (Turkey), Cencosud (Chile), Terry White Chemmart (Australia) and the Warehouse Group (New Zealand) to address the hottest topics such as creativity, effectiveness, collaboration, and performance.
12:20 - 12:40 - IAB Tech Lab 2025 Roadmap Featuring the Trusted Server Framework with Tony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab
Join the IAB Tech Lab as it dives into the highlights of its 2025 strategy and product roadmap with a deeper look at its Trusted Server Open Source Initiative. As browsers tighten their grip on the open web, the IAB Tech Lab’s Trusted Server Framework offers publishers a path to reclaim control, shifting key ad operations server-side to restore transparency, privacy compliance, and revenue potential.
12:40 -13:00 - Destroying Modern War Illusions with Anastasiya Baydachenko, CEO of IAB Ukraine
Afternoon Sessions
In the afternoon, attendees can choose between two breakout rooms providing hands-on learnings and conversations. Workshops and Masterclasses will explore industry development, innovation, and policy in a roundtable format, fostering deeper collaboration.
Breakout Room 1 - Workshops
(located in the Plenary room)
14:00 - 14:50 - State of the Nation - Retail Media
In our dedicated retail media session, this is an opportunity for the audience to see what forces are shaping retail media in Europe. Growth, advancements, and opportunities will be presented for attendees to truly understand the impact of Retail Media advertising.
The session will start with IAB Europe’s Industry Development & Insights Director Marie-Clare Puffett providing a 10-minute overview on the retail media ecosystem with key stats and developments.
We will then hear the Retailer View, where Evangelia Mitoli, Sales & New Business Development Manager, Douglas Marketing Solutions GmbH will speak about the role of 1st-Party Data in Retail Media and showcase how brands can benefit from DOUGLAS‘ Data Solutions along the whole customer journey.
The session will conclude with an interactive panel discussion.
Moderator: Jason Wescott, Global Head of Commerce Solutions, GroupM and Chair of IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee.
Speakers:
14:55 - 15:40 - Unlocking Privacy Innovation: PETs Solutions and Recommendations for the Digital Ecosystem
Discover the transformative potential of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) at this IAB Europe Interact workshop. Through a concise keynote by Sebastian Grantz, Google and engaging panel discussion on 'Tackling PETs from different perspectives: Policy, Browser-Platforms, Industry', gain insights into the latest PETs solutions and their practical applications. Understand emerging policy recommendations and explore opportunities for industry-wide collaboration on data sharing standards. Learn how investing in PETs can future-proof your data practices and enhance user trust.
Moderator: Sebastian Grantz, Global Data & Privacy Manager, Industry Relations, Google
Speakers:
15:40 - 16:05 - Coffee Break
16:05- 16:45 - TV+ The Next Generation of CTV
In this dedicated CTV session hosted by David Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, IAB, attendees will explore how the channel is sophisticating through buying and measurement innovations.
Moderator: David Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, IAB
Speakers:
16:45 - 17:25 - Measurement in Digital Advertising - What’s Hot, What’s Not.
In this final workshop of the day we will bring everything together to discuss advancements and focus areas in digital advertising measurement. Hosted by ExchangeWire’s CEO Rachel Smith, a panel of measurement experts will share their views and forecasts on what we can expect from CTV to audience measurement.
Moderator: Rachel Smith, CEO, ExchangeWire
Speakers:
Breakout Room 2 - Masterclasses
(located in the Experience floor - Into the Box room)
14:00 - 14:40 - Regulatory framework on digital advertising: balancing privacy and innovation
As the European Commission unveils its 2025 work programme, regulatory simplification is in the spotlight to boost European competitiveness. Key developments include the withdrawal of the draft ePrivacy Regulation—raising questions about the future of EU privacy rules—and a broader assessment of the digital acquis by the end of 2025. This includes a new European Data Union Strategy aimed at creating a clearer, more coherent legal framework that supports data sharing at scale, while maintaining strong privacy and security standards. What could these shifts mean for the digital advertising sector in Europe?
Moderator:
Speakers:
14:45 - 15:15 - Jump Starting Your AI Journey: Overcoming the Genius Gridlock of AI. Learn the Future of Work & AI.
This masterclass cuts straight to the good stuff. We will inform and align teams on adopting AI in everyday tasks. It includes a live demonstration on how to work smarter and more creatively with AI multi-tooling, using practical tasks from the audience, all run in AI multi-tooling format. The session offers a quick crash course on AI frameworks and best practices for research, data analytics, and content creation. The focus is on rapid-fire problem-solving with AI tools. It concludes with an open Q&A for deeper exploration and immediate takeaways.
Speaker:
15:15 - 15:45 - The Future of Audience Measurement in EU Policy
This session will explore the crucial role of audience measurement within the evolving EU digital policy landscape. Key areas of focus include: the impact of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the debate between independent and proprietary measurement systems, and upcoming regulatory developments. The masterclass will emphasize the increasing political significance of audience measurement for both commercial needs and public interest goals, advocating for industry collaboration and proactive engagement with regulatory oversight.
Speaker:
15:45 - 16:05 - Coffee Break
16:05 - 16:45 - TCF Compliance in Practice: How Can Self-Regulation Foster Better Accountability?
As the digital advertising ecosystem continues to evolve under increasing regulatory scrutiny, ensuring effective and consistent compliance with the EU Data Protection Legal Framework remains a shared challenge. This panel will examine the role of the TCF Compliance Programmes in providing participants structured ways to meet their legal requirements through audits, technical guidance, and dedicated enforcement procedures.
16:50 - 17:15 - Driving Down Emissions: Collaborative Action for a Sustainable Ad Ecosystem
Speakers:
Meanwhile, throughout the whole day, the Networking Zone will offer dedicated spaces for ad-hoc discussions.
Interact will close with an evening networking event at Rooftop 58 (7 pm), providing attendees with more opportunities to connect and interact.
