Humans of Digital spotlights the people shaping Canada’s digital advertising industry, celebrating their expertise, insights, and personal stories.
Meet Walder
Job Title:
CEO
At IAB Canada:
Ad Tech Council Chair
Social: 
Company:
I help brands and agencies maximize the impact of their advertising investments by building strategic partnerships and delivering measurable business results through innovative digital solutions.
What’s one project, campaign, or achievement you’re most proud of in your career so far?
I’m proud of successfully growing a company from a start-up into a recognized leader in the Canadian digital advertising space. Building a strong team, establishing trusted client relationships, and scaling operations in a competitive market has been one of the most rewarding accomplishments of my career.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received is: “Surround yourself with people smarter than you.” It’s a reminder that leadership is about empowering great talent, fostering collaboration, and learning continuously from those around you.
What excites you most about the future of digital advertising in Canada?
I’m most excited about the evolution of technology and data that’s making advertising more efficient and personalized. The future of digital advertising is about creating smarter, more meaningful connections between brands and consumers while keeping transparency and trust at the core.
In your view, what’s the biggest opportunity for our industry right now — and what’s the biggest challenge?
The biggest opportunity is harnessing the power of data and AI to deliver more personalized, measurable, and efficient advertising experiences. The biggest challenge is balancing that innovation with privacy, regulation, and consumer trust, ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the expense of transparency or ethics.
If you could change one thing about the industry overnight, what would it be?
More Human interaction across the ecosystem
Which trends, tools, or innovations are you keeping your eye on this year?
data privacy and transparency—users increasingly demand clarity on how their information is used for ad targeting. In gaming advertising, focus on authentic player integration and non-intrusive formats, ensuring ads enhance rather than disrupt the gameplay experience.
What role do you think collaboration through IAB Canada plays in driving industry growth?
The IAB play a key role in shaping and guiding us through the Canadian media landscape.
Getting Human
Coffee, Tea, or Something Stronger?
Coffee
Creative boost go-to?
Chilled Jazz music
If your career were a movie, what would the title be?
Entourage
Complete the sentence – “The future of digital advertising in Canada is…”
…SOOO Promising
Walder takes pride in growing a start-up into a Canadian industry leader by fostering talent and trust. Guided by the belief that great leadership means learning from others, he’s energized by technology and data that make advertising more personal and transparent. He sees the biggest opportunity in using AI and data responsibly while balancing privacy and ethics, with IAB Canada playing a vital role in guiding collaboration and progress across the media landscape.
Ready to lean in? Read more Humans of Digital stories and join IAB Canada to get involved in our committees, working groups, and cross-industry initiatives.