Key Takeaways:

  • The Trade Desk's former Chief Financial Officer Alexander Kayyal resigned from the company's board of directors on March 19, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday. The Salesforce veteran had served as finance chief at the Ventura, California-based company for just five months before his role was abruptly terminated in January, as previously reported by CFO Dive.
  • The resignation is one of several changes reshaping the ad tech vendor's board this week, involving adjustments to both the audit and compensation committees. The Menlo Park, California-based company also announced that Reddit CFO Andrew Vollero will join the board and its audit committee, succeeding audit committee member Gokul Rajaram, according to a press release and Wednesday's SEC filing. Rajaram had previously announced plans to step down on April 3, per an earlier filing.
  • In another audit committee change, The Trade Desk said director Kathryn Falberg resigned from the board on March 23. Due to Falberg's departure, The Trade Desk has notified Nasdaq that it temporarily does not comply with certain listing rules, including requirements that the audit committee have at least three directors and the compensation committee have at least two directors, according to Wednesday's filing.

Deep Dive:

As Reddit's first CFO, hired in 2021, Vollero helped guide the social media platform through its initial public offering in March 2024, according to the press release. His previous experience also includes serving as the first CFO of social media and video platform Snap Inc, as well as senior finance roles at toy maker Mattel Inc and Yum! Brands, according to Vollero's LinkedIn profile.

"Vollero's extensive experience as a CFO and his ability to guide organizations through periods of growth make him an outstanding new addition to our board," The Trade Desk CEO and co-founder Jeff Green said in a statement accompanying the press release. "His financial acumen, strategic thinking, and leadership demonstrated across some of the most dynamic companies in tech will be invaluable as we continue to expand globally and create long-term value for our customers and shareholders."

Vollero will receive an annual retainer of $50,000 for his service on The Trade Desk's board, plus an additional $12,500 per year for his service on the audit committee, according to the SEC filing. He will also be eligible for an initial equity grant valued at $290,000, as well as an annual equity grant of $290,000, prorated from the date of his appointment to The Trade Desk's next annual shareholder meeting.

The changes to the ad tech company's board come months after The Trade Desk named 11-year company veteran Tahnil Davis as interim CFO following Kayyal's departure, as previously reported by CFO Dive.

Kayyal previously began serving as a director of The Trade Desk in February 2025, before assuming the role of CFO in August of that year, as reported by CFO Dive. He had been expected to remain a director until the 2026 annual shareholder meeting, according to the January SEC filing regarding the termination of his CFO role.

In a prior separation agreement reached after Kayyal's CFO role was terminated, The Trade Desk agreed to pay him the amounts previously agreed upon in his employment agreement, plus a $400,000 relocation allowance to assist with his move to the United Kingdom, according to Wednesday's filing. The Trade Desk stated that neither Falberg's nor Kayyal's departure was due to any disagreement with the company.