IAS Taps Amazon, Horizon Vets for Board to Tackle AI and Streaming Ads

NEW YORK, NY – January 28, 2026 – Integral Ad Science (IAS), a global leader in media quality measurement, today announced a significant enhancement to its leadership by appointing two of the advertising and technology industry’s most influential figures, Bob Lord and Krishan Bhatia, to its new Board of Directors. The appointments, effective immediately, signal a strategic move to deepen the company's expertise in AI-driven advertising, global streaming platforms, and large-scale digital transformation.

Bob Lord, the current President of Horizon Media Holdings and former Chief Digital Officer at IBM, joins alongside Krishan Bhatia, who recently led Amazon’s global video advertising business. The formation of a "new" board follows IAS's recent transition to a privately held company after being acquired by North American private equity firm Novacap in a deal valued at approximately $1.9 billion, which was completed in late December 2025. This move positions IAS to accelerate its growth and innovation under new ownership, with Lord and Bhatia poised to provide critical guidance.

A New Chapter Under Private Ownership

The appointments are the first major strategic leadership announcement since IAS went private, underscoring Novacap’s intention to invest heavily in the company’s technological and market leadership. The transition from a public entity on the Nasdaq to a private company is intended to provide IAS with the flexibility and resources to pursue long-term innovation without the pressures of quarterly public market reporting.

IAS entered this new chapter on solid footing, having reported a 16% year-over-year revenue increase to $154.4 million in its Q3 2025 earnings call. The company has identified itself as an "AI-first company," a strategy that will be significantly bolstered by the new board members' expertise.

"We are pleased to welcome Bob and Krishan to our new Board of Directors. Both are visionary leaders with a wealth of experience in digital transformation at the intersection of media, advertising and technology," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS. "Bob, who previously served on our board as a public company prior to IAS's acquisition by Novcap, brings a deep understanding of how data and advanced technology can enhance customer engagement. Krishan offers unmatched experience building and scaling global media and advertising platforms and partnerships. We look forward to benefiting from their perspectives as we continue to drive innovation, quality, and performance in the evolving media landscape."

The Digital Transformation Architect: Bob Lord

Bob Lord’s career is a masterclass in navigating and leading technological disruption within massive organizations. In his current role as President of Horizon Media Holdings, he is tasked with steering the agency portfolio into the age of AI, overseeing international strategy and data-driven innovation. His return to the IAS board, having served on it previously, brings both continuity and a renewed focus on advanced technology.

Lord's tenure at IBM is particularly noteworthy. As the company’s first-ever Chief Digital Officer, he was at the forefront of transforming its go-to-market strategy, championing open partner ecosystems, and embedding AI across its application suite. His leadership extended to major initiatives like the divestiture of The Weather Company, aligning with IBM's strategic business goals. Before IBM, Lord was the Global CEO of Razorfish, where he orchestrated its transformation into a digital marketing powerhouse, and as President of AOL, he was instrumental in developing its pioneering programmatic media platform.

"IAS plays a critical role in helping the industry build trust, transparency, and accountability across digital media," Lord stated. "I'm thrilled to be a part of the Board and contribute my experience at the intersection of data, technology, and marketing to support IAS's continued innovation and growth."

The Streaming and Global Video Vanguard: Krishan Bhatia

Krishan Bhatia brings to IAS an impeccable and highly relevant track record in the fastest-growing segment of digital media: streaming video. Most recently, as Vice President of Global Video Advertising at Amazon, he helmed the advertising businesses for Prime Video, Live Sports, and Twitch. He was a pivotal figure in establishing Amazon as a dominant force in premium streaming TV advertising, most notably by successfully expanding Prime Video's ad-supported tier into 15 countries and reaching over 200 million viewers globally.

Prior to his impactful stint at Amazon, Bhatia spent 18 years at NBCUniversal, culminating in his role as President & Chief Business Officer of the global advertising and partnerships division. There, he was a key architect of the launch of the Peacock streaming service, shaping its ad-supported model and overseeing the development of NBCU’s proprietary advertising technology and data platforms. His deep, hands-on experience in building and monetizing global streaming services is a direct match for the industry’s most pressing challenges.

"As media continues to evolve across streaming platforms, social media, and global markets, independent measurement to assess media quality and improve performance are more important than ever," said Bhatia. "I look forward to working with the IAS team to help advance solutions that drive meaningful outcomes for advertisers, media companies, and platforms."

Fortifying for the Future of Media Measurement

The combined expertise of Lord and Bhatia directly addresses the core challenges and opportunities facing the digital advertising industry. The rapid fragmentation of media consumption across Connected TV (CTV), social media, and countless global platforms has made independent, cross-platform measurement a critical need for advertisers seeking to ensure their investments are effective, viewable, and brand-safe.

IAS has been actively expanding its capabilities in these areas, securing partnerships with social giants like TikTok, Reddit, and Snap, and extending its Brand Safety & Suitability Measurement to newer platforms like Threads. Bhatia's experience scaling Amazon's video ad business and Lord's background in enterprise-level AI integration provide IAS with an unparalleled strategic brain trust to accelerate these efforts.

This move also sharpens IAS's competitive edge against rivals like DoubleVerify, whose own board boasts significant ad tech and finance expertise. However, the addition of executives with recent, direct leadership roles in scaling the ad businesses of Amazon and transforming the digital strategy of IBM provides IAS with a unique and powerful perspective on where the market is heading. These appointments are a clear declaration that under its new private ownership, IAS is not just aiming to keep pace with the evolution of digital media, but to actively define its future.