Digital Leading Ladies (DLL) is an organisation for women in the digital advertising and technology industries. The aim of the DLL is to create an interactive group which connects, supports, and provides opportunities for its members.
Founded in 2018, the DLL today is made up of more than 500 female leaders and experts from all disciplines across the digital marketing ecosystem.
New Digital Age invited selected members of the DLL for their thoughts on how 2026 is likely to play out and will be sharing their insights and predictions over the next few weeks.
First up are Lisa Goodchild, Maria Cadbury and Julia Linehan…
Lisa Goodchild, Chief Trouble Maker, Digilearning Foundation
2026 will be the year we stop treating AI like the whole meal and start using it as an ingredient.
For the last couple of years, we’ve been fed the “AI takeover” narrative. But the world is a beautifully designed system. The earth regenerates. The body rebuilds. Humans adapt, feel, create and connect. AI absolutely has a place in that mix, but it’s not here to replace what makes us human.
In adtech, we’ll move into a more mature phase: AI as a multiplier. The tools that genuinely improve workflow, insight, measurement and speed will stay. The overpromised tech that strips out judgement, context and craft will fall away.
And here’s the real prediction: the brands that win will be the ones investing in people, especially young and overlooked wise talent. Because too many are being locked out of opportunities to learn the skills we’ll all depend on. We need different minds at the table, not fewer. The future is human-led, AI-supported.
Maria Cadbury, Chief Revenue Officer, Wult
We’re entering an era where privacy compliance is not just a checkbox—it’s a currency of trust.
Let’s start with a shift in mindset. Privacy compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines anymore—it’s a signal of media quality. Just like viewability or brand safety, compliance is now something we can measure, optimize, and use to drive better outcomes.”
Despite all the regulation, the media supply chain is still riddled with risk. Non-compliant inventory slips through. Consent UX is often poor. And data flows are still opaque. This isn’t just a legal issue—it’s a performance and trust issue.
The future of media isn’t just addressable—it’s accountable. Privacy compliance will define the next generation of premium inventory. As trust becomes the currency of digital engagement, Wult empowers brands and platforms to invest in media that respects the user, aligns with regulation, and performs with integrity. This isn’t just compliance—it’s competitive edge.
Looking ahead, privacy-first media will be the new premium. Consumers expect it. Regulators demand it. And brands are starting to reward it.
Julia Linehan, CEO & Founder, The Digital Voice™
Success and growth in 2026 are going to be driven by not just one trend but a heady mix of trends which are permeating every layer of the digital ad trading landscape. Based on the ad trends battleground of the 2025 Fired Up event series, the trends that will dominate growth areas include CTV, AI, Retail Media, GEO and Creator Marketing. The real winners in 2026? The brands that smartly weave all these trends together.
Picture this: AI cranking up super-personalised ads on CTV while sharpening retail media targeting to nail exactly what people want. Throw in GEO to give people instant, clickless answers to their queries, and then let creators bring that genuine, human touch that actually builds trust and connection. And when it all clicks? You get people engaging naturally, whether they’re on the sofa, scrolling on their phone, or walking into a shop. The brands that master this holistic mix while staying on top of regulations, nailing consistent measurement, and riding the wave of agentic AI will absolutely own the year.
At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering seamless, genuinely valuable experiences everywhere your audience shows up. That’s how you win in 2026.
