Streaming technology company Wurl has appointed its long-time media executive Dave Bernath as its new Chief Executive Officer, the company announced Thursday.
Bernath succeeds Ron Gutman, who is retiring after leading Wurl through a period of expansion and product development over the past three years.
Bernath most recently served as Wurl’s General Manager of the Americas, where he worked with streaming platforms, publishers, and advertisers to grow the company’s connected TV (CTV) business. His background includes more than two decades in media and digital innovation, with senior leadership roles at Comedy Central, BBC America, and E! Networks.
In his new role, Bernath said he plans to continue Wurl’s focus on building products that accelerate the industry’s transition to streaming while maintaining customer value at the center of the company’s operations.
“There’s a lot of positive energy at Wurl right now, and I’m excited to build on it in the months ahead,” Bernath said in a note to employees and partners. “It’s a privilege to step into the CEO role at Wurl as we continue to strengthen our position at the heart of streaming TV.”
Bernath pointed to Wurl’s portfolio of products — including Global FAST Pass, Ad Pool, Content Discovery and Brand Discovery — as key tools in helping content owners, publishers, and advertisers scale in a fast-changing marketplace. “Our products deliver impactful solutions across distribution, monetization, and contextual intelligence, built to empower our partners to successfully scale as our industry changes,” he said.
Wurl, which positions itself at the intersection of content and advertising, has built its business as a connector between publishers, streaming platforms, ad tech providers, and advertisers. Bernath said that mission remains unchanged.
“What matters most is the value we deliver to our customers. They remain at the center of everything we do, and that principle drives every decision we make: how we build, how we prioritize, and how we evolve,” Bernath said. “Whether you’re a content owner, publisher, advertiser, or one of our many supply or demand partners, you should feel Wurl leaning in. We’re focused on solving the problems that keep you up at night.”
Bernath credited Gutman with leaving the company on a strong foundation, noting his role in building an “innovative, agile, and responsive” organization.
“I’m fortunate to step into this role with world-class colleagues who care deeply about what we do,” Bernath said. “We’re excited about what’s next.”
Wurl is part of AppLovin.
