Sonia Carreno, IAB Canada

Sonia Carreno is the acting President of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada – the only trade association dedicated to the responsible growth of the digital advertising industry in Canada. With a career spanning almost 25 years, Sonia is a true digital veteran who has deep industry experience covering virtually every angle of the digital marketing sector.

From pioneering the digital media planning landscape in the early days at Modem Media (one of the first international consultancies to enter the digital marketing space) to founding DAC Group Digital (a worldwide leading agency that found its roots in search and content services), Sonia leverages her global citizenship to maintain a sharp leading edge pushing the envelope of digital capabilities to drive results. Since 1997, Sonia’s work at award top international agencies has focused on building award-winning strategy for global Fortune 500 brands such as Coca-Cola, Gillette, Heineken, and General Motors just to name a few.

Sonia’s recent induction into Canada’s Marketing, Advertising, PR, and Communications Hall of Fame is just one of the many awards she has collected recognizing her efforts in bringing the Canadian marketing and advertising industry into the digital age. Leading the strategy on the AutocorrectHer campaign for IAB Canada recently brought home two gold medals for work supporting gender equality in the Canadian marketplace.

An active member of the advertising community, Sonia currently holds positions on the board of the Cannes Lions Advisory as well as AdStandards. She is a recent graduate of the Amsterdam THNK School of Creative Leadership and is deeply committed to the success of the industry with a focus on ethical and responsible practices to build a sustainable future. She has a passion for delivering smart, creative business solutions with a keen eye for good.

In her personal time, Sonia has taught yoga and meditation for over 15 years and is trained in holistic nutrition and addiction recovery counselling. She is a passionate world traveller, a mother of two active teens, and is fluent in English, Spanish, and German.