Index Exchange has grown and evolved in remarkable ways over the years—expanding globally, advancing our technology, and shaping the future of the ad tech industry. Along the way, many employees have grown with us, building careers that reflect both personal progression and the momentum of our industry.
In this piece, I spoke with three long-tenured Indexers—spanning five, 12, and 20 years at the company—to hear what first drew them to Index, how their roles have evolved, and what inspires them to keep growing here.
Let’s meet them and hear about their careers at Index Exchange.
1. What first attracted you to Index?
Astrid Vandecandelaere: When I was interviewing, the people at Index truly stood out. Everyone I met was genuinely invested in the process—curious, engaged, and interested in what I had to say. I also heard great things about the team I’d be joining, which made the opportunity even more exciting.
Ran Li: I was drawn to the challenge. Index processes a massive volume of internet traffic in real time with extremely low latency, supporting requests from virtually anyone consuming digital content. Very few companies operate at this scale, and even fewer run their own hardware instead of relying on the cloud.
Shael Fryer: The opportunity in the ad tech industry was interesting to me. Twenty years ago, the marketplace was inefficient, startups were everywhere, and ad dollars were rapidly moving to digital channels.
What really drew me in was that the founders had such a clear vision of the industry’s pain points and took a principled approach to addressing them with transparency and efficiency, while putting the customer first every step of the way.
2. How has your role or team evolved since you started?
AV: I’ve experienced different teams and roles at Index. When I started in global deal operations, we were a team of two. Today, we’ve grown to a global team of 10 specialists with deep regional and technical expertise. It’s a great example of how Index scales with intention.
RL: I began as a back-end test engineer building automation suites. Over time, I moved into a senior staff software engineer role, leading initiatives in addressability and real-time data systems. Today, I collaborate across teams to shape our technical roadmap.
SF: I started as a publisher relationship manager, doing whatever was needed to support our customers. As Index matured, my role shifted into operations, where my team developed solutions to help different functions across the company work together effectively.
3. What keeps you engaged and inspired to continue growing here?
SF: Our vision of total market efficiency motivates me. We focus on delivering more value for media owners and supporting the business models that fund the open internet. Being surrounded by brilliant, hard-working Indexers who are focused on the same goal makes the work even more rewarding.
AV: I’m inspired by our vision as well. We have so many exciting things ahead, like scaling Index Marketplaces and advancing sell-side decisioning. We never get comfortable with the status quo—there’s always this drive to ask, “How could this be done better?” That mindset keeps me energized.
RL: I enjoy building and delivering real solutions that create tangible impact. What excites me most is our commitment to innovation. We’re not afraid to push boundaries, pursue new ideas, or tackle challenges others haven’t solved yet.
4. What advice would you give to someone just starting at Index?
RL: Stay curious. Ad tech can be complex, but keeping an open mindset makes all the difference. Ask questions, explore new ideas, and don’t hesitate to challenge existing approaches.
Connecting across teams is the fastest way to understand the business and make an impact.
AV: Yes, talk to people! So much of my growth has come from simply asking questions and learning from others. I always encourage new team members to connect with at least one person from every team. People here are happy to share what they know.
SF: Understand the why behind your work and how it contributes to our vision. Connect with Indexers from other teams, look for ways to go above and beyond, and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.
The road forward
Building a career at Index isn’t about standing still—it’s about growing alongside a company that’s always pushing forward. As we continue to innovate and elevate ad technology to exceptional standards, we’re excited for the people who will help shape what’s next and build meaningful careers at Index Exchange.
If these experiences resonate with you, explore what it’s like to build your career at Index.
