Darkroom Taps Rokt Vet Peter Gao, Signaling Enterprise AI Ambitions

NEW YORK, NY – January 14, 2026 – In a move signaling a significant push into the enterprise market, AI-native growth marketing agency Darkroom today announced the appointment of Peter Gao as its new Senior Vice President of Growth. Gao, a seasoned executive from e-commerce tech giant Rokt, joins the agency as it looks to leverage its proprietary AI technology to attract and serve larger, industry-shaping brands.

The hire is a calculated step in Darkroom's strategy to cement its position not just as a participant, but as a leader in the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven commerce. By bringing in a leader with deep experience in enterprise sales, the New York-based agency is betting that the combination of seasoned human leadership and advanced AI is the key to unlocking the next level of growth marketing.

The 'AI-Native' Gambit for Market Dominance

In an industry flooded with agencies claiming AI capabilities, Darkroom has long defined itself as "AI-native." This distinction is more than marketing jargon; it points to a foundational strategy of integrating artificial intelligence into the core of its operations. The company's model is built upon "Matter," a proprietary, AI-driven commerce technology layer designed to work in tandem with its senior team of human experts. This fusion aims to accelerate revenue across key channels like Amazon, TikTok Shop, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms.

This integrated approach stands in contrast to the broader industry trend. A 2025 Forrester report revealed that while 91% of U.S. advertising agencies are using or exploring generative AI, many are simply bolting on new tools to existing workflows. Darkroom's proposition is a deeper, more systemic integration where AI agents augment human creativity and strategic oversight, rather than merely automating low-level tasks. With a track record of managing over $100 million in ad spend and generating over $5 billion in trackable client revenue, the agency's focus is on using this hybrid model to deliver measurable financial outcomes.

"Peter's arrival comes as our business becomes increasingly infused with software and AI-native agents," said Lucas DiPietrantonio, co-founder and CEO of Darkroom. "As we expand our sales force to capitalize on that opportunity, he brings the leadership our maturing sales function needs."

A Strategic Hire for Enterprise Expansion

Peter Gao's resume makes him a near-perfect fit for Darkroom's ambitious goals. In his most recent role as Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Rokt, he was instrumental in forging key partnerships and driving sales performance in the competitive retail and marketplace sectors. His background provides a blueprint for the very path Darkroom intends to walk.

Before his tenure at Rokt, Gao led global sales for Nielsen's gaming analytics division, SuperData, where he secured major deals with enterprise giants like Microsoft and Sony. This experience in navigating complex, large-scale sales cycles is precisely what Darkroom needs as it shifts its focus from its roots with challenger brands to the mid-market and enterprise arenas. His career, which began as an Intelligence Analyst at Point72 Asset Management and included founding a cross-border commerce venture, demonstrates a breadth of expertise across B2B sales, market analytics, and team leadership.

At Darkroom, Gao's role is twofold. Internally, he is tasked with helping existing clients fully unlock the agency's comprehensive capabilities across their sales channels. Externally, and perhaps more critically, he will lead the charge to bring in the flagship brands that will define the agency's next chapter of growth. The hire reflects a strategic pivot from a period of intense internal product development to a new phase of aggressive market expansion.

Talent Wars in an AI-Driven Agency Landscape

Gao's appointment is a microcosm of a larger trend: the escalating war for senior talent in the AI marketing sector. As technology automates more functions, the value of experienced human leadership has paradoxically increased. Agencies are discovering that proprietary algorithms and AI platforms are only as effective as the strategic minds guiding them.

Industry analysts note a clear shift among forward-thinking agencies to invest heavily in senior leadership roles. These firms are proactively hiring executives who can bridge the gap between complex AI technology and tangible business strategy, effectively translating machine-driven insights into market-winning campaigns. Darkroom's own highly selective recruitment—making just 30 hires in 2025 from a pool of candidates that yielded a 1% acceptance rate—underscores a commitment to assembling an elite team.

The demand is for leaders who can not only manage a sales function but also shape a company's growth trajectory in a volatile, tech-driven landscape. Gao's reputation as a disciplined operator is seen as a crucial complement to Darkroom's creative and technological prowess. This move suggests that for AI-native companies, the most valuable assets are the people who can harness the power of the machine.

From Boutique Studio to AI Powerhouse

Founded in 2017 as a boutique design studio, Darkroom's evolution into a nationally recognized AI-native agency has been swift. The company's inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies and the recognition of its founders, Lucas DiPietrantonio and Jackson Corey, in Forbes' 30 Under 30 for marketing and advertising, highlight a journey defined by strategic innovation.

The agency spent much of the last year in a 'heads-down' mode, focusing on building and refining its core AI commerce layer. The hiring of Gao marks a definitive end to that phase and signals a renewed, outward-facing focus on growth and client acquisition. It represents a reinvestment in people to capitalize on the powerful technology they've built.

This strategic hire is a declaration that Darkroom is ready to transition from a high-growth startup to a scaled-up industry force. By pairing its sophisticated AI infrastructure with proven enterprise sales leadership, the agency is positioning itself to compete for a larger share of the market. This deliberate blend of human expertise and artificial intelligence is the foundation upon which Darkroom plans to build its future, aiming to not just serve enterprise clients but to become an indispensable partner in their commerce acceleration.