Taboola Taps Amazon Vet to Challenge Digital Ad Giants on Open Web

HONG KONG – February 26, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling a major offensive in the digital advertising arena, Taboola has appointed Krishan Bhatia, a seasoned executive from Amazon and NBCUniversal, as its first-ever Chief Business Officer. The high-profile hire underscores the company's ambition to aggressively expand its footprint on the 'open web' and solidify its position as a primary alternative to the dominant 'walled gardens' of Google and Meta.

Bhatia is tasked with leading Taboola's global sales and partnership efforts, a critical role as the company aims to scale its revenue streams across a diverse product suite. This includes its flagship Realize performance advertising platform, its expansive network of publisher partnerships, and its burgeoning initiatives in Connected TV (CTV) and generative AI.

A Strategic Move to Challenge the Duopoly

Taboola's appointment of a CBO is a clear declaration of its intent to capture a larger share of the global digital advertising market, which surpassed a record $259 billion in 2024. The company has long positioned itself as a champion of the open web, providing advertisers with a scalable way to reach audiences outside the ecosystems of search and social media giants. With a network reaching approximately 600 million daily active users, Taboola is already a formidable force, holding a dominant 58% market share in the content discovery space and ranking second in native advertising against key competitor Outbrain.

This move comes at a time when advertisers are increasingly seeking to diversify their ad spend and reduce their reliance on the duopoly. Taboola's leadership believes Bhatia is the key to unlocking the next level of growth. "Krishan is joining Taboola at a pivotal moment in our journey," said Adam Singolda, CEO of Taboola. "We are redefining performance advertising on the open web and beyond. The opportunity in front of us is massive."

Singolda's confidence is bolstered by the company's recent performance, having surpassed two billion dollars in revenue under the leadership of President and COO Eldad Maniv. With a solid foundation and full-year 2025 revenues hitting $1.9 billion, the company is now focused on accelerating its go-to-market execution, a domain where Bhatia's expertise is expected to be transformative.

The Architect of Scale and Innovation

Krishan Bhatia's resume reads like a blueprint for scaling modern advertising businesses. Most recently, as VP of Global Video Advertising and Partnerships at Amazon, he was instrumental in launching and leading the e-commerce giant's global video advertising business across powerhouse platforms like Prime Video, Live Sports, and Twitch. His experience managing advertising in the highly competitive streaming landscape is directly relevant to Taboola's strategic priorities.

Before his tenure at Amazon, Bhatia served as President and Chief Business Officer of NBCUniversal's Global Advertising and Partnerships division, where he oversaw the media conglomerate's digital, streaming TV, and advanced advertising businesses. This dual experience from both a tech-first and a media-first behemoth provides him with a unique perspective on the needs of both advertisers and publishers.

Singolda emphasized these credentials in the company's announcement. "Krishan has helped build and scale some of the most important advertising businesses in the world at Amazon and NBCUniversal," he stated. "He understands how to operate at scale, how to partner with brands and agencies, and how to execute with discipline... I'm excited to welcome Krishan Bhatia to the team as our first Chief Business Officer and for what he will bring as we scale the company and take our go to market execution to the next level."

Riding the Waves of CTV and Generative AI

Bhatia's appointment is strategically timed to capitalize on two of the fastest-growing sectors in digital advertising: Connected TV and artificial intelligence. The CTV ad market is experiencing explosive growth, with industry projections estimating spend will reach over $33 billion in 2025 and surpass $46 billion by 2028. Bhatia's background in video advertising is a clear asset as Taboola pushes deeper into this lucrative space.

Simultaneously, the market for AI in advertising is projected to swell to over $40 billion by 2027. Taboola has been an early mover in this domain with its DeeperDive generative AI answer engine, which is already in use by major publishers like Gannett and Reach. This technology provides an AI-powered search and recommendation experience directly on publisher sites, monetized through high-converting ads. For advertisers, the company's Realize platform uses sophisticated AI and specialized algorithms to deliver measurable outcomes on a cost-per-click basis.

Bhatia acknowledged the strength of this technological foundation. "Taboola has a bold vision for the future, built on global scale and innovative technology to become a powerhouse for performance advertising and publisher success," he said. "The introduction of Realize further solidifies Taboola's place as the leading player in performance advertising outside of search and social. Taboola's launch of DeeperDive, pace of innovation with generative AI, and continued commitment to drive success for advertisers and partners are strong signals that today's market demands."

With this strategic hire, Taboola is not just adding an executive to its leadership team; it is making a calculated investment in a future where the open web, powered by AI and new media formats like CTV, offers a compelling and competitive arena for brands to achieve scalable growth. The industry will be watching closely to see how this new architect of scale reshapes Taboola's trajectory and the broader digital advertising landscape.