CHICAGO, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Basis (https://basis.com), the leading intelligent operating system for autonomous advertising, today announced that Christian Hendricks has been appointed President. Hendricks, who has served on the Basis board of directors, brings deep operational and commercial expertise to the role as the company accelerates adoption of its AI-driven platform across agencies and brands. In his new role, Hendricks will lead go-to-market strategy, revenue growth, and client partnerships, working in close collaboration with Shawn Riegsecker, CEO, to advance Basis’ mission of making autonomous advertising a reality for the modern media organization.
Advertising operations today are fragmented across channels, teams, tools, and financial systems — resulting in an estimated $80–120 billion in annual value leakage due to errors, inefficiencies, and siloed campaigns. As agencies and brands face mounting pressure to do more with less, demand has never been greater for a unified operating system that connects planning, buying, optimization, reporting, billing, and reconciliation has never been greater. Basis is uniquely positioned to meet that demand, and Hendricks’ appointment reflects the company’s commitment to scaling its platform and deepening its partnerships with the industry’s leading advertisers and media organizations.
“Christian has seen Basis from the inside — he understands what we’re building, why it matters, and what it takes to scale it,” said Shawn Riegsecker, CEO, Basis. “The advertising industry is at an inflection point. AI is reshaping what media teams look like, what they can do, and how quickly they can do it. We need a leader who can help our clients navigate that transformation and unlock the full power of Basis as their operating system. Christian is exactly that leader, and I’m thrilled to have him step fully into this role.”
Hendricks is a recognized leader in the media industry, known for driving change and innovation. He spent more than two decades leading McClatchy’s digital business units and has served as president of the Local Media Consortium (LMC), an organization comprising more than 150 media companies representing over 5,400 outlets. He is also the managing partner at Extol Digital, a management consulting firm focused on growth and execution strategy. Hendricks has served on the Basis board of directors since 2021, bringing strategic perspective to the company’s platform evolution.
His appointment as President marks a natural transition from board-level guidance to direct operational leadership at a moment when Basis’ agentic AI solution, Compass, is transforming how agencies and brands build, manage, and reconcile campaigns across programmatic, direct, paid search, and paid social advertising.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to what Basis has built, and the opportunity ahead of the company is significant,” said Hendricks. “Media teams everywhere are being asked to do more with less while navigating an increasingly complex channel landscape. Basis solves that problem in a way no other platform does — by connecting every channel, every workflow, and every financial system into one governed operating system. I’m excited to help more agencies and brands realize what’s possible when their entire advertising operation runs on a single, intelligent foundation.”
As President, Hendricks will spearhead Basis’ sales and services organizations, collectively stewarding nearly two billion dollars in annual digital advertising investment on behalf of prominent brands and agencies. His priorities will include:
- Leading the sales organization to expand Basis’ reach, drive revenue growth, and strengthen strategic partnerships
- Aligning sales, services, and platform capabilities to accelerate client outcomes across the full campaign lifecycle
- Advancing Basis’ commercial position as the foundational operating layer for autonomous advertising
About Basis
Basis is solving the advertising industry’s biggest problems with a foundational software platform that connects every channel, every workflow, and every financial system into one governed operating system. With AI-driven media planning and management capabilities, Basis serves as a unified command center for agencies and brands. It creates capacity for media teams through integrated applications specialized in planning, operations, reporting, and financial reconciliation across programmatic, publisher-direct, search, and social channels. Basis empowers leaders with AI-powered efficiency and productivity – helping drive stronger financial outcomes for their organizations. Renowned for its dedication to both employees and customers, Basis enables more seamless operations while fostering a happier, more engaged workforce. Learn more at https://basis.com.
Contact:
Anthony Loredo
anthony.loredo@basis.com
917-573-4157
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a245977b-0fab-4e02-9545-cf2253b6db37
