Founder & CEO of Eagle Vista Partners, Laura Desmond is a highly regarded industry game changer, a true innovator and the lead architect of reinventing and building the agency of the future, using data analytics, and content.
Eagle Vista Partners has focused on Senior Advisor work with CEO’s at Anaplan, Live Ramp, Uptake Technologies along with other media, financial service and emerging SaaS companies. Eagle Vista Partners has also invested in several early to mid stage companies in the martech, ecommerce and social networking sectors.
Laura was Chief Revenue Officer of Publicis Groupe and Chief Executive Officer of Starcom Mediavest Group, the #1 media and marketing services agency globally for 5 straight years under her leadership. While CEO, the business at SMG more than doubled and successfully pivoted to a digitally centric organization focused on emerging channels, data, analytics and content. She led a diverse team of 6500 employees across more than one hundred offices who bring unconventional thinking and a passion for the art and science of marketing strategy, consumer behavior, and media investment.
Laura has worked closely with some of the biggest and most successful marketers worldwide, including Samsung, Coca-Cola, Visa, Bank of America, P&G, and a host of emerging online consumer brand such as Airbnb, Spotify, EA Sports and Twitter. In her work, Laura forged a new breed of partnership with media companies such as Google, Facebook, and Tencent.
Laura is also an Operating Partner at Providence Equity Partners, working with the Technology & Media Group on two investments in the adtech and marketing service sectors.
Laura serves on the board of directors for Adobe Systems (2012), CapGemini (2019) and is Lead Director of Double Verify, (2017). She is also past Chair of the Advertising Council.
Laura and Eagle Vista Partners are both based in Chicago.