When you imagine the trajectory of a Regional VP, it’s unlikely you picture a childhood dream of scuba diving with dolphins or working for a Hollywood studio. But for Davin Power, that’s where it began. From the coastal city of Perth, Australia, with dreams of marine biology and working in film, to working in advertising with global brands and teams in the U.S., I sat down with Davin, who shared his journey and insights into his role today leading Taboola’s North America region and large and emerging sales organizations
What sparked your career path in the advertising industry?
At fifteen, I remember going to the library and flipping through a career book. That’s when I stumbled across a description of an account executive at an advertising agency. The idea of pitching and selling stories—something I’d always been drawn to (like Hollywood)—stood out to me. Since marine biology didn’t quite match my passion for creativity (+no Hollywood business in Perth), I made up my mind right there–I was going to work in advertising.
I started working with global brands at ad agencies in Perth, specifically working for a subsidiary of J. Walter Thompson, with Ford as a client. From the beginning, my eyes were set on New York as the center of the advertising universe, and without hesitation, I walked around the corner to see the guy who ran the Ford business and asked, “Do you deal with anyone in New York? He did not, but that eventually led me to Grey Advertising in Sydney, which was headquartered in New York.
I asked only to be put on international clients based in New York and kept raising my hand, asking if I could be relocated there. With some (a lot) of persistence, I, this young whippersnapper, eventually secured a transfer, which began my U.S. career at 24 years old. From then on, I worked with major companies like P&G, Kodak, and American Express, managing large teams and global accounts.
You’ve emphasized the importance of strong storytelling in business. Why is it so vital?
Creative storytelling is crucial for any business, whether in an advertising agency or a tech company like Taboola. At our core, humans have always communicated and connected through stories. This isn’t just an art form—it’s a powerful business tool that, when done right, becomes a game-changer, offering businesses the ability to engage, influence, and inspire on a deeper level.
At Taboola, we’re taking this a step further with Realize, our new performance marketing platform. Realize provides a powerful canvas for brands to tell their stories in a way that drives real action. It’s not just about reaching the right audience; it’s about understanding what resonates with their audience and crafting compelling brand narratives infused with data to produce real engagement and traction for their businesses.
What are you most excited for the team to achieve?
With our new vertical structure, I hope to give people greater satisfaction in their day-to-day roles by positioning them as industry experts and empowering them to own their performance. It’s an immense feeling to walk into a room knowing that with each client interaction, you’re deepening your insights, industry knowledge, and gaining confidence. Talking about the trends in a specific industry far more deeply than someone who only does a few industry meetings a year will be more impactful for our team and clients.
I’m looking forward to seeing our team’s confidence grow and gain that swagger, which will help them raise their own profiles and brand themselves as real thought leaders within their space.
For clients, we consistently hear that our white glove customer service is a big differentiator for us. Now, with Realize, and our new vertical structure, the people that our clients already think are great at delivering exceptional customer service are going to be even more satisfied because they’ll be working with experts in their industry that can deliver even better results.
What career advice would you offer to others in a client-facing role in the ad-tech space?
Something everyone can benefit from, but which is particularly a big focus for us, is solution selling, which is another way of saying we’re practicing active listening to be the best partners and create a mutually beneficial relationship. I had a boss years ago who taught me that if you want to ask a client or a publisher for something, you’re asking for a withdrawal from the bank account of that relationship. I’ve held onto this and now tell my team that if you need to withdraw from that other person, you’ve got to put a deposit in the bank first, which comes from building relationships and adding value without necessarily asking for anything in return.
What fact would surprise people about you?
Being a typical Australian, I’m an avid scuba diver and have three surfboards in my Chicago basement that haven’t seen the light of day in years.
Davin’s Key Takeaways:
- As humans, we all interact through stories. Finding the right narrative is vital.
- Practice active listening for effective solution selling.
- Be curious, be relentless, and swing for the fences.
When I reflect on the course of my career, this passion for creative storytelling is still what drives me. I always had my eye focused on New York, working in a global capacity and with curiosity, being relentless, and aiming big, I made it happen. I remember being petrified when I first landed in New York at JFK; I saw snow falling for the first time and was like, “What’s this white stuff?” but at the same time, big dreams were coming true.
To learn more about why we are consistently ranked as a great place to work, check out the Taboola Life blog. Visit our careers page and realize your potential with #TaboolaLife.
