Gözde Alemli has driven Appnext’s EMEA and LATAM growth for 5 years, from launching our Turkey office to serving as Chief Growth Officer, lets deep dive into her career highlights with bold predictions for app marketing in 2026.
Career Milestones at Appnext
Gözde kicked off as Country Manager Turkey in 2021, achieving targets and forging partnerships that scaled to billions of monthly recommendations and more daily new devices. She advanced to Global Growth Director, then VP Global Sales & Business Development, where she unified sales for predictable revenue surges.
Now as Chief Growth Officer EMEA and LATAM, she’s built high-performing teams and executed strategies boosting operational efficiency across regions.
Key Achievements Driving Impact
- Led Turkey expansion with partners.
- Transformed regional efforts into global motions.
- Delivered growth across regions by data-driven sales strategies and predictive analytics.
Her pre-Appnext path, from project executive in diverse industries, co-founding shopping platforms, leading roles in programmatic, fueled these wins with mastery and entrepreneurial grit.
2026 EMEA and LATAM Trends: The Triple-Threat of AI, Efficiency, and On-Device Boom
The European, Middle Eastern, and African (EMEA) digital advertising landscape is poised for a significant transformation in 2026, dominated by three core forces: the pervasive integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a relentless drive toward advertising efficiency and measurable value, and the accelerating growth of the on-device ecosystem led by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
AI: The Engine of the Ad Lifecycle
AI is set to move beyond mere optimization and will permeate the entire advertising lifecycle. From initial creative ideation—where generative AI models will rapidly produce and test thousands of dynamic ad variations—to the final stages of campaign management, AI will be the central operational intelligence. This includes sophisticated applications like advanced churn prediction, allowing advertisers to precisely target high-value users, enabling truly dynamic optimization of campaigns on the fly, and facilitating real-time bidding strategies that maximize return on ad spend (ROAS).
The Efficiency Imperative and Market Consolidation
Against a backdrop of economic caution, advertisers are fundamentally shifting their strategy from pursuing sheer volume to focusing strictly on demonstrable value. This “flight to quality” is leading to significant consolidation in the ad tech ecosystem. Advertisers are reducing the number of partners they work with, concentrating their spend on proven, transparent platforms that offer reliable measurement and tangible results. This push for efficiency is occurring alongside a robust growth in in-app advertising spend, which is projected to exceed a remarkable $45 billion in Europe alone, underscoring the enduring power of the mobile channel.
The On-Device and Ecosystem Shift
A key disruption is emerging from OEMs and alternative app discovery channels. OEMs are leveraging their direct relationship with the device user to pioneer highly effective, native placements. These placements, often integrated into default launchers, AI assistants, and system utilities, capture user attention before they even consider visiting a traditional app store.
The Evolution of Creative and Targeting
Creative assets are becoming highly perishable and data-driven, evolving not just daily, but hourly, based on immediate performance feedback loops. Post-privacy shifts, such as the deprecation of third-party cookies and enhanced mobile privacy controls, contextual targeting is surging in importance, using the surrounding environment of the ad (the topic, the user’s immediate intent) to increase relevance. Furthermore, the rise of agentic AI, systems capable of autonomous decision-making to fine-tune campaigns, is automating complex operational tasks. However, amidst this technological surge, the human element remains paramount: compelling human storytelling and brand narrative are still the critical differentiators that captivate and convert users.
Gözde’s Outlook for App Marketers: Thriving Amidst Change
According to industry thought leader Gözde, the marketing platforms best positioned to thrive in 2026 are those that specialize in intent-based, high-efficiency user discovery within the burgeoning alternative app store and OEM ecosystems. For app marketers, success will hinge on several key strategic imperatives:
- Prioritize Context Scores: Marketers must shift focus to sophisticated contextual scoring to identify the most relevant moments and environments for ad delivery in a privacy-first world.
- Embrace Fast Iteration: The ability to execute rapid, data-informed iterations on creative and targeting strategies is no longer optional; it is essential for survival.
- Invest in Revenue-Proof Channels: In a landscape of consolidation, securing ad spend will require a focus on channels that offer clear, undeniable evidence of their contribution to the bottom line, thereby revenue-proofing the marketing investment.
In summary, 2026 demands that app marketers be agile, data-centric, and focused on finding valuable users where they now reside: within the efficient, intent-driven channels of the OEM and alternative app discovery world.
Connect with Gözde on LinkedIn. What’s your 2026 play?
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