Overview

When Three Pillars Recruiting partnered with FreeWheel in 2008, the company was in the early stages of building the operational, product, and commercial infrastructure required to support a complex premium video advertising platform. Over the course of an eleven-year partnership, Three Pillars completed more than 60 documented placements across product, sales engineering, account management, advisory services, marketing, and executive leadership—supporting FreeWheel’s evolution from startup to global enterprise technology leader.

Foundation Building: Early-Stage Growth (2008–2010)

The initial phase of the partnership focused on establishing FreeWheel’s operational and technical foundation. Three Pillars supported the hiring of Business Services Associates, Technical Support Representatives, Sales Engineers, and Account Managers—roles essential to early customer support, platform monetization, and scalable service delivery. As product capabilities expanded, placements extended into Product Management and Customer Support leadership, strengthening cross-functional execution.

Scaling the Go-To-Market Organization (2011–2013)

Between 2011 and 2013, Three Pillars delivered more than 30 placements across Sales Engineering, Product Management, Strategic Relationship Management, Advisory Services, and Marketing leadership. During this phase, Three Pillars functioned as an extension of FreeWheel’s internal hiring team—supporting rapid expansion across U.S. and international markets.

Career-Defining Placements & Industry Impact

James Rooke — Head of Advisory Services

James Rooke joined FreeWheel as Head of Advisory Services during a formative growth stage, where he helped establish and scale the company’s advisory function supporting premium publishers and enterprise clients. Following his tenure at FreeWheel, James went on to become President of Comcast’s Digital Media division.

Erica Carmel — Vice President of Marketing

As Vice President of Marketing, Erica Carmel led FreeWheel’s brand, positioning, and go-to-market strategy during a critical scale phase, supporting product launches and strengthening the company’s market presence within the premium video ecosystem.

Youssef ben-Youssef — Director of Commercialization

Youssef ben-Youssef was hired to help translate product innovation into scalable commercial offerings, bridging technical capability with revenue strategy. He later progressed into senior leadership roles across media and technology organizations.

Long-Term Trust and Specialized Hiring (2018–2019)

Nearly a decade into the partnership, FreeWheel returned to Three Pillars for highly specialized, high-trust searches aligned with a mature enterprise customer base. These engagements focused on experienced Client Success Managers, Advisory Solutions Consultants, and DSP-focused Solutions Engineers supporting complex products and strategic client relationships.

Results and Impact

Across eleven years, Three Pillars Recruiting delivered more than 60 confirmed hires spanning junior, mid-level, and executive leadership roles. Many of these professionals advanced into senior leadership positions at FreeWheel or moved into influential roles across Comcast, major media organizations, and the broader ad-tech ecosystem. The partnership reflects a recruiting relationship defined by scale, longevity, and trust—grounded in deep domain expertise and a proven ability to place talent with lasting impact.