IAS APPOINTS MELISSA FURZE AS HEAD OF DATA SCIENCE

Rhea-AI Summary

Integral Ad Science (Nasdaq: IAS) announced on Dec 22, 2025 that Melissa Furze has been appointed Head of Data Science, reporting to the Chief Technology Officer. Melissa will lead IAS's global data science, AI, and analytics strategy and work with product, engineering, and commercial teams to accelerate innovation and strengthen protection and performance capabilities for advertisers and publishers.

Melissa joins from LinkedIn, where she served as Global Vice President of Customer Science and led LinkedIn's Customer Science organization; she brings more than 20 years of global data, analytics, and AI leadership experience.

Positive

• Appointment effective Dec 22, 2025 as Head of Data Science
• Reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer
• Brings 20+ years of global data and AI leadership
• Previously Global VP of Customer Science at LinkedIn

Negative

• None.

Market Reality Check

$10.26 Last Close

Volume Volume 537,027 is below recent activity at 0.56x the 20-day average 962,327. low

Technical Price $10.26 is trading above the 200-day MA of $8.83, and about 10.24% below the 52-week high $11.43.

Peers on Argus

IAS traded flat pre-news while key advertising peers like STGW, ZD, CRTO, QNST and EEX showed same-day declines between -1.11% and -6.94%, pointing to stock-specific rather than sector-driven dynamics.

Common Catalyst One peer, STGW, also had an AI-focused headline, highlighting broader industry emphasis on AI capabilities.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 16	AI product launch	Positive	+0.0%	Introduced IAS Agent AI assistant to improve campaign insights and ad performance.
Dec 08	Industry report	Positive	-0.1%	Released 2026 Industry Pulse Report on media priorities and AI verification needs.
Nov 13	Accreditation win	Positive	+0.0%	Earned MRC accreditation for Amazon DSP impression, viewability and IVT reporting.
Nov 04	Earnings and merger	Positive	+0.2%	Posted Q3 2025 growth and reiterated all-cash acquisition by Novacap.
Oct 28	Partnership expansion	Positive	-0.1%	Extended TikTok Pangle brand safety and measurement across large global app inventory.

Pattern Detected

Recent IAS news—AI tools, partnerships, and earnings—has generally led to modest price moves, with a mix of small alignments and mild divergences versus positive headlines.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, IAS has highlighted several AI- and quality-focused milestones. On Oct 28, it expanded brand safety measurement for TikTok Pangle across 380,000 apps reaching 2.9 billion daily users. The Nov 4 Q3 2025 results showed revenue of $154.4M and an announced all-cash acquisition by Novacap at $10.30 per share. Subsequent MRC accreditation on Nov 13, an AI-powered IAS Agent launch on Dec 16, and today’s senior AI/data science hire all reinforce this AI-and-measurement strategy.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights IAS strengthening its AI and data science leadership at a time when it has recently launched AI products and reported solid Q3 2025 growth alongside a pending all-cash acquisition at $10.30 per share. Investors may track how the new Head of Data Science advances IAS’s AI-first strategy, supports large-scale partnerships, and enhances measurement capabilities, while also monitoring progress on merger approvals, integration planning, and retention of key technical talent.

Key Terms

data science technical

"Melissa Furze joined the company as Head of Data Science at IAS reporting"

Data science uses tools from statistics and programming to collect, clean and analyze large amounts of information so people can spot patterns, test ideas and make predictions. For investors, it’s like turning a stack of receipts into a clear map: it helps identify sales trends, customer behavior and risks more quickly and reliably, so companies that apply data science can make decisions that affect revenue, costs and future value.

ai technical

"to scale IAS's data science and AI capabilities worldwideNEW YORK"

Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables machines to mimic human thinking and learning, allowing them to analyze information, recognize patterns, and make decisions. For investors, AI matters because it can improve how businesses operate, create new products, or identify opportunities faster and more accurately than humans alone, potentially impacting company success and market trends.

data engineering technical

"uniting analytics, research, data engineering, AI development, measurement"

Data engineering is the practice of collecting, cleaning and organizing large amounts of business information so it’s reliable and ready for analysis, like building and maintaining the pipes and filters that carry clean water to a city. For investors, strong data engineering means a company can measure performance accurately, spot trends faster, and scale operations without costly errors or delays, affecting forecasting, risk assessment and the value of technology investments.

automation technical

"development of proprietary intelligence platforms, automation initiatives for improving"

Automation is the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention, often replacing manual work with machines or software. It matters to investors because it can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enable faster decision-making, potentially leading to higher profits and competitive advantages for businesses.

data privacy regulatory

"She was the commercial lead for data privacy, and measurement programs"

Data privacy is the practice of protecting people’s personal and sensitive information—like names, health details, financial records, or browsing habits—from unauthorized access or misuse. For investors, strong data privacy is like good locks and alarms on a business: it preserves customer trust and revenue, reduces the risk of fines and lawsuits, and lowers the chance of costly breaches that can hurt a company’s reputation and stock value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Former LinkedIn executive to scale IAS's data science and AI capabilities worldwide

NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Integral Ad Science (Nasdaq: IAS), a leading global media measurement and optimization platform, today announced that Melissa Furze joined the company as Head of Data Science at IAS reporting to the Chief Technology Officer. Melissa will lead the company's global data science, AI, and analytics strategy, partnering closely with product, engineering, and the commercial teams to accelerate innovation, strengthen protection and performance capabilities, and deliver trusted, data-driven outcomes for advertisers and publishers worldwide.

"Mel brings an exceptional combination of deep technical expertise, global leadership, and commercial impact," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of Integral Ad Science. "Her experience building AI-powered data organizations and translating insights into real customer value will be instrumental as IAS leans into our AI-first strategy to leverage our deep data insights to power new solutions that make advertising more valuable."

Melissa brings more than two decades of global leadership experience in data, analytics, AI, and customer insights to the company. She joins IAS from LinkedIn, where she most recently served as Global Vice President of Customer Science for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions and as a member of the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Executive Team, reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in scaling LinkedIn's marketing business.

At LinkedIn, Melissa built and led the Customer Science organization, uniting analytics, research, data engineering, AI development, measurement, and solutions engineering into a single global function. In this role, Melissa led multi-year commercial and AI transformation strategies, including overseeing the development of proprietary intelligence platforms, automation initiatives for improving productivity at scale, and the commercialization of advanced data and measurement products. She was the commercial lead for data privacy, and measurement programs, covering trust and governance across global data solutions.

Prior, Melissa held multiple senior leadership positions at LinkedIn over more than a decade, including Global Director of Marketing Insights and senior analytics leadership roles across EMEA and LATAM. Earlier in her career, Melissa held executive analytics roles at organizations including DAA (Dublin Airport Authority), O2 (Telefónica Group), Eircom, and Wunderman, where she led global data, analytics, and insight teams across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Australia.

"I'm excited to join IAS at a pivotal moment for the company," said Melissa. "IAS plays a critical role in delivering trust, transparency, and performance across digital media, and I look forward to building on its strong foundation to drive the next generation of data science and AI-powered solutions."

About Integral Ad Science
Integral Ad Science (IAS) is a leading global media measurement and optimization platform that delivers the industry's most actionable data to drive superior results for the world's largest advertisers, publishers, and media platforms. IAS's software provides comprehensive and enriched data that ensures ads are seen by real people in safe and suitable environments, while improving return on ad spend for advertisers and yield for publishers. Our mission is to be the global benchmark for trust and transparency in digital media quality. For more information, visit integralads.com.

Press Contact:
Tricia Mifsud
press@integralads.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ias-appoints-melissa-furze-as-head-of-data-science-302647379.html

SOURCE Integral Ad Science, Inc.

FAQ

Who is Melissa Furze and what role did IAS name her to on Dec 22, 2025 (IAS)?

Melissa Furze was named Head of Data Science at IAS on Dec 22, 2025, reporting to the CTO.

What responsibilities will Melissa Furze have as Head of Data Science at IAS (IAS)?

She will lead IAS's global data science, AI, and analytics strategy and partner with product, engineering, and commercial teams.

Where did Melissa Furze work before joining IAS and what was her title (IAS)?

She joined from LinkedIn, where she served as Global Vice President of Customer Science for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.

How much industry experience does Melissa Furze bring to IAS (IAS)?

Melissa brings more than 20 years of global leadership experience in data, analytics, AI, and customer insights.

What strategic aims did IAS cite for hiring Melissa Furze as Head of Data Science (IAS)?

IAS said she will accelerate innovation, strengthen protection and performance capabilities, and deliver trusted data-driven outcomes for advertisers and publishers.

Who will Melissa Furze collaborate with internally at IAS (IAS)?

She will partner closely with IAS product, engineering, and commercial teams while reporting to the Chief Technology Officer.