About

Two decades of leading through change.

I am a strategy, marketing, and operations leader with deep experience across agencies and marketing technology, plus a corporate development lens shaped by strategy, investments, and M&A work.

Over the last two decades, I have led and advised teams through growth, platform shifts, new market creation, and operating model change. Today that experience is focused on helping founders and leadership teams respond to the AI era with discipline instead of hype.

Dustin Engel
Now

Where I work today.

Elegant Disruption

Founder and principal consultant. I work with founders and leadership teams on strategy, AI-era operating discipline, and credibility in-market, with a focus on unlocking enterprise value for marketing services and technology clients. The work runs on the E5 framework. Visit Elegant Disruption.

WY Partners

U.S. Director for the London-based M&A and strategy consultancy serving the marketing sector. Advised on notable transactions including the sales of Bacchus Agency, Fabric Social, and Phiture. Profile at WY Partners.

Selected chapters

Where the experience comes from.

PMG

Executive team

Corporate strategy, investments, and M&A, plus analytics, data science, and programmatic leadership at one of the fastest-growing digital companies in the US.

iProspect (Dentsu)

EVP of Strategy

Strategy and operations with responsibility across a multi-office organization of more than 250 people.

ClearSaleing

Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer

Marketing and strategy leadership through a performance-driven growth environment, through to the company's acquisition by eBay Enterprise.

Earlier roles

Match, Blockbuster Online, Camelot

Digital growth and partnership work at Match and Blockbuster Online, and senior strategic marketing work with Camelot Strategic Marketing.

Speaking and writing

On stage and in print.

  • Stages include the ANA Financial Summit, iMedia Commerce Summit, eTail, NRF events, and Citi's Entertainment, Media, and Technology Summit.
  • Writing includes author profiles and contributions at MediaPost and CMSWire on digital strategy, analytics, and attribution.
  • Expert network member with the 4As, covering agency operations, AI, corporate strategy and M&A, and technology strategy.
Dustin Engel presenting on stage at an industry conference
Credentials and service

Education and board work.

  • Seattle University, bachelor's degree.
  • Harvard Business School, executive education.
  • Singularity University, certificate programs.
  • Equip The Saints, board service with the nonprofit, which works against human trafficking.

If your business is at an inflection point, let's talk.

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