Wise is still technically a Yahoo employee, but says he’ll be at his new job “in weeks.” He replaces Brad Keywell, who also co-founded Groupon, the crazily hot online shopping/coupon startup.
Wise joined Yahoo in 2007, when it bought Right Media, the ad exchange he was running. So it makes perfect sense for him to land at another ad tech play. The difference between MediaBank and other ad tech startups is that up until now it has specialized in analog media, not digital: It sells technology that helps buyers of TV, print and other media plan and track their purchases.
That industry is dominated by Donovan Data Systems, and Wise’s first priority is try eating into his competitor’s marketshare.
But MediaBank also works with digital media, though it’s a much smaller part of their business. The thinking behind Wise’s hire is that he can merge all of that together, and help create a sort of mega-media marketplace: Think of Google’s AdX (GOOG) exchange, but one that buys and sells Web display ads alongside TV spots, magazine pages, etc.
Wise, who lives in New York City, will stay there and open up a MediaBank outpost.
