Robertas Gircys, Supply Account Manager at BidMachine

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Briefly introduce yourself, your role, and the pivotal moment in your career that led you to AdTech.

My name is Robertas Gircys and currently I am working at Bidmachine as Supply Manager. Some 13 years ago I decided to change my career from technical consultancy in the HR software space to something more dynamic. That is how I ended up in the adtech world. The world of retargeting and personalized ads was conquering the world and I jumped on this exciting opportunity head first spending more than a decade at Criteo, and now at Bidmachine helping game developers and exchanges to monetize their inventory

      What is an underrated tool, habit, or soft skill that has become indispensable to your daily work?

      Sometimes you need to look at the source, therefore having good data based on the incoming ad requests is a must. You would be surprised how many do not pay attention to the signals. As for the soft skills – having good candid relationships is a key. 

          What is one common misconception about programmatic or AdTech that you find yourself constantly correcting?

          People outside of the industry do not realize how much sophistication and technology goes into showing ads. Millions of lines of code, thousands of servers. If you think about it, it is the advertisement that made Google and Meta billion dollars of revenue. Of course it is a very lucrative business that attracts top talent.

              What are your platform’s three biggest priorities right now, and why do they matter for the broader ecosystem?

              One of our biggest priorities right now is helping publishers unlock more brand demand through Direct Placements. Many publishers rely heavily on traditional programmatic paths that can be inefficient and lack transparency. We are focused on creating more direct relationships between apps and advertisers while simplifying the bid stream and improving visibility into fees.

              Another major focus is continuing to improve our SDK performance and capabilities. Since the SDK sits directly inside the app, we are constantly optimizing areas like stability, rendering, viewability, and signal quality to help publishers maximize revenue without compromising user experience.

                  Based on your experience, what is the #1 “best practice” most companies overlook when trying to succeed in programmatic?

                  One thing companies often overlook is balancing monetization with user experience. Many publishers optimize only for short-term performance revenue, but long-term success comes from creating a healthy mix of performance and brand demand. Brand ads typically create a better user experience, while performance demand drives strong monetization. The key is building a setup where both can coexist without hurting engagement or retention.

                      Which specific industry regulation or privacy change is currently having the biggest impact on your 2025/2026 strategy?

                      Privacy changes continue to impact the industry, but one of the biggest shifts now is the reduced availability of deterministic signals across ecosystems. That pushes companies to focus more on contextual data, SDK-level insights, and direct publisher relationships instead of relying purely on traditional identifiers.

                        Without giving away trade secrets, can you share a recent project or case study that highlights a creative solution to a tough AdTech problem?

                        One recent example was working with Veraxen to unlock more brand demand through Direct Placements while maintaining a strong user experience. The challenge many publishers face is increasing revenue without increasing ad load or hurting retention. By simplifying the supply path and bringing in more direct brand demand, Bidmachine became Veraxen’s #1 banner revenue partner on iOS while keeping the ad experience stable for users (link)

                          We know AI is everywhere. Where specifically do you see it providing the most practical value for identity and targeting today?

                          AI definitely helps to set things up faster. Once the agent has access to your system, it can help with redundant admin things that take up a lot of time. For example, complicated targeting rules are prone to user mistakes. Now, they are illuminated since AI does the setup for you.

                              Which specific niche or sub-sector of AdTech would you bet on for the most rapid growth right now?

                              Non-gaming mobile apps are one of the fastest-growing opportunities in AdTech right now. Categories like social, dating, utility, entertainment, and sports apps are attracting larger brand budgets as advertisers look beyond traditional web inventory. Mobile apps provide stronger engagement signals and more premium environments for advertisers.

                                  What is a “hidden gem” opportunity currently opening up for advertisers or publishers that most people aren’t talking about yet?

                                  Direct placements are still underrated in the industry. Many publishers do not realize how much brand demand is inaccessible through traditional reseller-heavy programmatic paths. By creating more direct relationships between publishers and advertisers, there is an opportunity to improve transparency, reduce unnecessary fees, and unlock higher-quality demand.

                                  Is there anything else you’d like to share, or a question you wish we had asked you today?

                                  Looking ahead, the coming years will prioritize the development of more streamlined and open ecosystems. With the growing complexity, businesses that focus on refining processes and delivering straightforward benefits to both sides of the market will  lead the way.