Veteran executive Cali Tran has been named CEO of Fort Worth-based advertising software provider Simpli.fi, effective June 16.

The appointment is a strategic move and part of what Simpli.fi called “a well-planned succession process” that sets up the firm for continued growth and success. The company said founder and CEO Frost Prioleau will transition to the role of executive chairman.

“Over the past several months, I’ve been working closely with the board on succession planning to ensure a seamless transition and continued success for Simpli.fi, our employees, clients, and investors,” Prioleau said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud of everything the team has accomplished. Looking ahead, I believe Cali’s unique experience in scaling businesses and driving transformative growth is a perfect fit for leading Simpli.fi into its next chapter. I am thrilled to welcome Cali as our new CEO and look forward to supporting him and the entire team in my new role as executive chairman.”

Expertise in company growth

Tran brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the media, advertising, and digital marketing landscapes to Simpli.fi, the company said. Most recently, Tran was CEO of Cision, a global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. He has also held senior leadership roles at industry-leading companies such as Valassis and Centerfield.

At Valassis, Tran authored the strategy and led the transformation of the $2 billion marketing services company back to growth, primarily by driving 5x digital revenue expansion via revamping the product portfolio and go-to-market efforts, while simultaneously improving gross margin through the modernization of business operations, the company said. Earlier in his career, Tran was a venture investor at North Bridge Venture Partners and an early team member of Ancestry.

Simpli.fi said Tran’s varied experiences have provided him with firsthand insight into the transformative power of the company’s solutions in enabling small and medium-sized businesses to achieve advertising success like that of larger corporations.

“I’m incredibly excited to join Simpli.fi, a world-class advertising technology company that is truly democratizing advertising,” Tran said. “Having witnessed the impact of Simpli.fi’s innovative solutions in the local advertising space, I am deeply impressed by the company’s culture of innovation, spirit of collaboration, and strong employee commitment. The success achieved over the past 15 years is a testament to the hard work and dedication of this team, and I am excited to build upon this strong foundation. I want to thank Frost not only for his vision and leadership at Simpli.fi, but also for his support during this transition. I look forward to working closely with him as executive chairman.”

Simpli.fi said the CEO transition underscores its commitment to strategic planning and its focus on long-term growth and innovation.

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