Criteo is a global technology company which offers a full suite of data-driven marketing solutions across the open Internet. Its vision is to create richer, more meaningful consumer experiences by empowering both marketers and media owners through trusted, impactful advertising. Nicole Kivel, Managing Director, Northern Europe, Criteo, tells us more about the company and how the business motivates employees.
How has the business grown since it started and how did you ensure growth?
Criteo started to build growth in retargeting and performance marketing, specialising in personalised advertising to boost conversions. We later evolved into retail media, helping brands advertise directly on retailer websites, before ultimately expanding to commerce media. I’ve been fortunate enough to see the company grow into the global leader in commerce media that we are today, offering a full suite of data-driven marketing solutions across the open Internet.
When I look back at our company’s growth story, one of our early milestones was achieving profitability in 2009; an early sign of Criteo’s rapid growth potential. Four years later, the company went public on NASDAQ, further demonstrating its success and scalability. The growth we’ve achieved has also been spurred by strategic acquisitions, such as HookLogic (a company I previously worked for), Storetail and Iponweb. Acquiring HookLogic and Storetail helped us build the foundation for our retail media services, and the later acquisition of Iponweb enabled us to ramp up our commerce media strategy. These investments have broadened our service offerings, bringing increased campaign performance to brands and enabling retailers to further monetise their site traffic.
In the years since, our commitment to continuous innovation, leveraging our own AI and data analytics to provide highly personalised advertising solutions is what I believe has helped set us apart. We pride ourselves on being adaptable to our clients and partners’ needs, so are constantly exploring how we can evolve and provide them with the most innovative technology on the market. With our solutions, we offer real value for retailers, advertisers and media owners by delivering greater addressability through deterministic data.
Our work with leaders in retail media and the breadth of our partnerships in commerce will continue to drive our growth, allowing us to stay ahead of market shifts and emerging opportunities. This enables us to meet the demands of retail media leaders by offering insightful solutions and fostering meaningful, measurable connections between brands and consumers.
What is your company’s vision and goal?
Our company vision is to create richer, more meaningful consumer experiences by empowering both marketers and media owners through trusted, impactful advertising. To work toward this, we’re building a more engaging digital advertising landscape by using data-driven insights to connect e-commerce, marketing and media channels, all while maintaining trust and transparency.
This ladders up to our overarching goal, which is to support an open Internet that encourages discovery, innovation and choice. To achieve this, we lean on our core values: open, together, impactful. From encouraging diverse thinking and collaboration to making considered choices, I’m proud to say that these values shape who we are and what we do. They also guide us toward building a better, more inclusive digital ecosystem while ensuring that we remain aligned with our societal and environmental progress.
What kind of clients and market do you serve?
We work with thousands of clients globally, including major players in the retail and publishing industries. This is how we’ve secured our reputation for delivering high-quality, data-backed solutions that generate real business results for marketers and media owners alike.
A core part of our client offering is our world leading Commerce Media Platform. This is tailored to meet the needs of a diverse client base, ranging from large enterprise brands to smaller businesses, and spanning a range of industries including apparel, health and beauty, consumer electronics, travel and more. Our technology enables our clients to reach their goals and drive better commerce outcomes by connecting them with the right audiences, at the right time, at every stage of the customer journey – from initial discovery through to purchase.
What has your career looked like so far?
My career has covered various aspects of the advertising industry. I started out in traditional media, working in television and sports advertising, before transitioning into the fast-evolving world of digital start-ups and retail media. Throughout this journey, I’ve worn multiple hats, beginning as an individual contributor in sales where I honed my ability to drive results and understand client needs.
Over time I took on a number of leadership roles, growing into team management and eventually becoming a market commercial leader, which led me to my current role as the Managing Director of Northern Europe at Criteo.
How do you equip your staff with skills and knowledge? How do you ensure different teams in your organisation work together?
Equipping my team with the right skills and knowledge begins with a clear understanding of their individual and collective needs. At Criteo, we first assess their baseline capabilities and then align those with our business goals and the overall direction we’re heading. From there, my team and I create tailored development plans for each individual.
Continuous learning is crucial for career development, so I encourage everyone to stay curious and actively seek out growth opportunities. We provide mentorship and regular training to foster personal and professional development, along with hands-on collaboration as a lot of skills and knowledge are formed through ‘doing’.
We also promote open knowledge sharing, so the team can benefit from each other’s experiences and expertise. Establishing SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is key to setting clear expectations and providing clear, set objectives. And something I really like about our culture at Criteo is that we believe in celebrating successes, no matter how big or small, so everyone feels motivated and feels that their contribution matters.
To ensure different teams in the organisation work collaboratively, we focus on establishing a regular cadence of feedback and collaboration sessions. These touchpoints foster communication and ensure that teams work cohesively toward common goals. I believe that shared goals are crucial because they give all teams a common purpose to work toward, which is something our SMART strategy ensures. I’ve always been keen to ensure that everyone recognises the importance of their role and their contribution to the larger picture, as each member of the company is integral to helping us reach our goals.
What’s the business’ approach to management?
Our approach to management is rooted in our Leadership Behaviour Framework, which is designed to create a leadership mindset throughout the organisation. I feel this approach works so well because the framework isn’t exclusive to senior managers or executives but is available for every employee, fostering a culture where leadership is seen as a core part of the day-to-day role. It focuses on three main pillars: leading oneself, leading teams and leading strategy. This encourages every team member to take ownership, contribute to collective success and act boldly in decision-making processes.
Alongside this, we’re dedicated to encouraging collaboration, accountability and trust across the company. By giving employees the tools and autonomy to work in the best way that suits them, we’ve curated an environment of continuous improvement and growth – both at an individual and business level.