MAM
The Trade Desk says Omnicom audit finds no discrepancies amid Publicis dispute
Big Four review finds no issues while rival flags hidden fees, fuelling industry-wide scrutiny of ad tech pricing
NEW YORK: The battle over ad tech transparency is heating up. Omnicom has ordered a third-party audit of The Trade Desk, even as rival Publicis Groupe doubles down on allegations of hidden fees, dragging the demand-side platform into a widening industry reckoning.
According to reports by AdAge and Campaign Asia-Pacific, Omnicom informed clients it had commissioned an independent review of The Trade Desk’s contracts and billing practices, a move triggered by Publicis Groupe’s earlier audit that claimed to have uncovered undisclosed charges linked to certain features and services.
Omnicom said the audit, to be conducted by one of the Big Four accounting firms, is aimed at independently verifying how The Trade Desk structures and prices its services. The identity of the auditor has not been disclosed.
The Trade Desk, however, has sought to steady nerves. The company confirmed the review, describing it as routine oversight within a long-standing partnership built on “shared commitments to transparency, innovation and performance”. It added that Omnicom Media’s ongoing analyses and reviews “have not identified any issues”.
That stands in stark contrast to Publicis Groupe’s findings. The French holding company had appointed FirmDecisions to conduct its audit and subsequently advised clients to avoid using The Trade Desk’s platform, alleging that fees had been improperly applied, including to tools clients were automatically enrolled into.
The Trade Desk pushed back, questioning the credibility of FirmDecisions as an auditor and disputing the claims. It said certain data requested during the audit could not be shared due to confidentiality obligations tied to contracts with other holding companies and third parties.
At the centre of the storm is Jeff Green, founder and chief executive of The Trade Desk, who has publicly defended the company’s model. In a LinkedIn post, Green said the platform was built to be “transparent and buyer-aligned”, insisting it had not failed any audit. He also rejected demands for broader disclosure, citing “ambiguous audit rights” and confidentiality constraints.
Green did not hold back on the wider ecosystem either, arguing that parts of the industry publicly champion transparency while benefiting from inefficiencies in programmatic trading. He also criticised agency practices such as principal media buying, where inventory is resold at a markup, underscoring long-simmering tensions.
The dispute comes at a time when the economics of ad tech are shifting fast. Agencies, which control vast programmatic budgets, are under pressure to cut costs and are increasingly exploring direct relationships with publishers and connected television platforms to streamline supply paths. Meanwhile, heavyweight platforms such as Amazon and Google have squeezed fees, making it harder for independent players to compete.
The Trade Desk has positioned itself as a neutral alternative to these walled gardens, arguing that unlike Amazon and Google, it does not own media properties competing for advertiser spend. Yet its recent push to engage brands directly has unsettled agency partners, further straining ties.
What began as a technical audit has now snowballed into a full-blown industry flashpoint. With Omnicom finding no issues, Publicis crying foul and The Trade Desk digging in, the fight over transparency, pricing and power in programmatic advertising is no longer simmering in the background. It is out in the open, and it is only getting louder.
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RPSG’s Sudhir Langer exits days before IPL 2026
Timing sharpens focus on stake sale buzz and LSG’s tightening financial playbook
MUMBAI: RPSG ( RP-Sanjiv Goenka) Ventures has sprung a late leadership surprise just as the IPL drumroll begins. Sudhir Langer will step down as whole-time director and from the board effective March 31, days after the 2026 Indian Premier League season kicks off on March 28.
The timing is hard to ignore. RPSG Ventures owns Lucknow Super Giants, and Langer’s exit lands in a narrow pre-tournament window when operational focus is typically at its peak.
The move also coincides with chatter around a potential stake sale. According to a Moneycontrol report, the RPSG Group, led by Sanjiv Goenka, is exploring options to offload up to a 15 per cent stake in the franchise. There has been no official confirmation.
RPSG had acquired the Lucknow franchise in November 2021 for Rs 7,090 crore, among the highest bids in IPL history. The team operates under RPSG Sports Private Limited and carries a sizeable annual franchise fee obligation of Rs 709 crore through FY31.
Financials underline both scale and strain. The franchise remains heavily reliant on central revenue distribution from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. In H1 FY26, it received Rs 399 crore as its share of franchise rights, compared with Rs 458 crore in FY25, the single largest contributor to income.
Total revenue for H1 FY26 stood at Rs 495.9 crore, with profit at Rs 63.7 crore. Yet FY25 saw a softer showing: revenue fell about 20 per cent to Rs 557 crore, weighed down by fewer matches and a lower league finish in the 2024 season. Growth has since been modest, with H1 FY26 revenue rising roughly 3 per cent year on year.
That leaves LSG balancing on a familiar IPL tightrope: strong central inflows, volatile on-field-linked earnings and a hefty fixed fee burden.
With a leadership exit, stake-sale speculation and a new season about to begin, Goenka’s cricket bet is entering a decisive phase—where timing, performance and capital strategy will all have to click.
