Jim Wilson will take the helm as CEO of Madhive while Spencer Potts becomes CEO of Precise.AI
NEW YORK, Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madhive, the only operating system for local media, today announced a strategic equity investment in Precise.AI, an AI-powered data collaboration company. Jim Wilson will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of Madhive, while current CEO Spencer Potts will become CEO of Precise.AI. The investment underscores Madhive’s commitment to advancing the future of local advertising by further integrating AI and advanced data solutions to maximize outcomes, performance and ROI for clients.
“Madhive’s mission has always been to democratize access to best-in-class technology to drive results for local advertisers of all sizes,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Madhive. “Building on the success of Madhive’s Data Marketplace and our award-winning innovation with Maverick AI, this partnership with Precise.AI marks the next step in making data the engine of smarter, more effective advertising. By combining Madhive’s local-first solutions with Precise.AI’s privacy-first infrastructure, we will deliver unmatched transparency and performance for our clients.”
Wilson has played a pivotal role in Madhive’s journey from the beginning, having founded and led Premion, the company’s first client. He joined the Madhive board in 2023, and joined the company full time as President in 2024. During the last year, Wilson made significant strides to expand the company’s offering in local, including:
- Acquiring and integrating Frequence—the leading omnichannel ad sales enablement and workflow platform—in June 2024, unifying capabilities into a single operating system for local media.
- Launching Maverick AI, the first enterprise intelligence layer powering media sales from pitch to payment.
- Scaling Madhive’s data marketplace, expanding partnerships with Samba TV, Polk, Experian, and others.
- Earning industry recognition, including Think LA’s Partner Campaign of the Year and AdExchanger’s 2025 Award for Most Innovative Use of CTV Technology.
- Redefining the company’s go-to-market strategy, strengthening client relationships and winning and onboarding new partners.
Wilson brings a proven record of building and scaling high-growth businesses. He oversaw the initial investment in Madhive by Tegna, Premion’s parent company. He also led the expansion of Talon’s North American operation from startup to market leader, driving national and regional client wins and executing strategic acquisitions. Previously, he served as global CEO of iconic gaming brand Atari and as COO of TouchTunes, driving its transformation and sale to Searchlight in 2015. Wilson also serves on the board of Audacy and is chairman of GSTV.
As part of the strategic investment, Spencer Potts will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of Precise.AI. Potts joined Madhive as President in 2020 and was appointed CEO in 2023, guiding the company from its start-up roots to operationalizing the market leading DSP, which led to on-boarding a number of local media partners running tens of thousands of campaigns daily. That growth and leading market position led to the strategic investment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives in 2023. In his next chapter, Potts will continue to collaborate with Madhive on fostering innovation and competitive market dynamics through the use of data in local advertising while expanding the Precise brand.
By integrating Precise.AI’s technology with Madhive’s local-first DSP, the partnership will deliver:
- Optimized Campaign Insights — Real-time Proof-of-Performance logs identify the campaigns and segments driving the highest ROI.
- Comprehensive Attribution — Deterministic, multi-touch attribution illuminates the full customer journey.
- Enhanced Trust and Transparency — Cryptographically verified data provenance ensures accuracy, reliability, and accountability.
- Stronger Market Position — A unified intelligence layer sets a new industry standard for privacy-safe, high-performance advertising.
“It has been a privilege to be part of the leadership team that grew Madhive from its startup days to the leading technology company for local media,” said Spencer Potts, CEO of Precise.AI. “I am excited to return to my entrepreneurial roots and build Precise.AI. Precise.AI represents a new chapter for advertising. By creating an open system for verifiable collaboration, we are giving every player in the ecosystem the ability to measure, optimize, and be rewarded, with trust at the center as we redefine how brands leverage data securely and effectively. Together with Madhive, we are setting a new standard for data-driven local advertising.”
Precise.AI is creating the industry’s intelligence layer with advanced data collaboration software. At its core is a decentralized, federated network that allows any organization with data to contribute, collaborate, and benefit. The platform enables agencies, brands, and publishers to retain sovereignty over their data, ensuring every participant can operate on the same trusted backbone while keeping client-facing tools and workflows distinct. The system powers privacy-safe activation and verifiable attribution, with incentives that reward contributors for the lifetime value of their insights.
Together, Madhive and Precise.AI will further empower broadcasters, brands, and agencies to execute more efficient, privacy-compliant advertising campaigns—setting a new benchmark for the future of local media.
About Madhive
Madhive is the only unified operating system built to empower local media companies to scale their advertising businesses and extend their reach to new audiences. Madhive’s customizable end-to-end platform supports the entire campaign lifecycle from proposal generation and planning to omnichannel buying, real-time optimization, and measurement. With robust workflow software that integrates seamlessly into existing systems, Madhive equips sellers with powerful tools to drive revenue. Trusted by leading local media enterprises like Fox, Scripps, and Hearst, as well as agencies such as Lifebrands, Madhive powers over 30,000 campaigns for small and medium-sized businesses every day. To learn more, visit Madhive.com.
About Precise.AI
Precise.AI offers an AI-powered, federated data platform designed to protect user privacy while enabling advertisers to harness actionable insights. Through secure query execution and closed-loop attribution, Precise.AI empowers brands to collaborate and monetize data without transferring raw records.
https://www.precise.ai
Media Contact:
Aimee Miller
Broadsheet Communications for Madhive
aimee@broadsheetcomms.com
