Fort Worth advertising technology company Simpli.fi announced Wednesday the appointment of Cali Tran as its new CEO, effective June 16.
Founder and current CEO Frost Prioleau will transition to executive chairman as part of a “well-planned succession process,” the company said.
Prioleau has led Simpli.fi’s growth over the past 15 years, building the company into what it describes as an “Advertising Success Platform” that provides programmatic advertising and workflow software to agencies, brands, and media companies.
The company has positioned itself as a catalyst for helping small and medium-sized businesses achieve advertising success on par with larger corporations through its technology solutions.
“Over the past several months, I have been working closely with the board on succession planning to ensure a seamless transition and continued success for Simpli.fi, our employees, clients, and investors,” Prioleau said in a press release. “I believe Cali’s unique experience in scaling businesses and driving transformative growth is a perfect fit for leading Simpli.fi into its next chapter.”
Tran brings extensive experience in media, advertising and digital marketing. He most recently served as CEO of Cision and has held senior leadership positions at Valassis and Centerfield. At Valassis, he led the transformation of the $2 billion marketing services company, driving five times digital revenue expansion while improving gross margins through business operations modernization, according to the press release.
Earlier in his career, Tran worked as a venture investor at North Bridge Venture Partners and was an early team member at Ancestry. He holds an AB in History from Bowdoin College in Maine and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
“I am incredibly excited to join Simpli.fi, a world-class advertising technology company that is truly democratizing advertising,” Tran said. “Having witnessed the impact of Simpli.fi’s innovative solutions in the local advertising space, I am deeply impressed by the company’s culture of innovation, spirit of collaboration, and strong employee commitment.”