We had the good fortune of connecting with Yael Prough and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yael, what do you attribute your success to?
If I had to distill the success of my work down to one overarching factor, it would be a relentless commitment to agile diversification paired with a fearless culture of experimentation. Throughout my growth and in my current role at Ziff Davis, I’ve learned that resting on your laurels in the digital landscape is a recipe for irrelevance. To build and sustain successful brands today, we have to constantly diversify our strategy, whether that means actively seeking out new audiences, testing fresh content formats, or expanding onto emerging platforms. I’ve always operated with the mindset that we cannot be afraid to try new things. We experiment, we learn, and if something doesn’t stick, we pivot without ego and move right on to the next idea. That ability to adapt quickly and evolve ahead of industry shifts is our biggest competitive advantage.

However, that kind of rapid, continuous evolution is impossible without a foundation of deep collaboration. Working within Ziff Davis’s dynamic portfolio, and specifically driving growth at IGN Entertainment, breaking down silos is a principle I champion constantly. It is something I talk about relentlessly with my teams: the real magic happens when we collaborate openly across the entire gaming and entertainment division. I have made it a personal priority to drive this cross-functional alignment because when you foster a culture where different departments intersect, you unlock an incredible level of passion and dedication. When you have a unified team that feels empowered to step outside their immediate lanes, share ideas, and take risks together, the success of the brand naturally and authentically follows.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At IGN Entertainment and across the broader Ziff Davis gaming and entertainment division, we are at the epicenter of gaming and pop culture.

We aren’t just a website; we are a constantly evolving community across more than 35 platforms. Because we are so deeply committed to diversifying our strategy, you will find us innovating everywhere; from emerging social platforms to entirely new content formats. We meet our audience exactly where they are.

Getting to this point business-wise has certainly not been easy. The digital media and entertainment landscapes are notoriously volatile; algorithms change, platforms rise and fall, and audience consumption habits shift practically overnight. Navigating that level of unpredictability is a massive challenge. We’ve overcome it by being resilient and refusing to be precious about the past. As I always tell my team, we have to be willing to experiment fearlessly. If we launch an initiative and it doesn’t stick, we don’t dwell on it. We extract the learnings, pivot, and move forward. That willingness to fail fast and adapt is how we survive and thrive.

When I look at where we are today, what I am most proud of, and what excites me most about our future, is the people. The lessons I’ve learned along this journey all come back to the fact that you cannot win in silos. Navigating a constantly industry requires absolute trust and open communication. I am incredibly proud of the collaborative culture we’ve built across the division. When you bring together passionate, diverse teams and empower them to share ideas across departments, the energy is electric. Ultimately, what I want the world to know about our brand and our story is that behind the massive scale of IGN Entertainment is a group of deeply dedicated fans who are just as passionate about the culture as our audience is. We are constantly evolving, taking risks, and collaborating because we genuinely love what we do.

On a personal level, my path to running the gaming and entertainment division wasn’t a straight, predictable line, and I truly believe that has been my greatest advantage. I spent over a decade deeply immersed in the world of advertising before making the pivot into sales. Those early years in advertising taught me the fundamentals of brand storytelling, consumer psychology, and how to capture an audience’s attention. Moving into sales then layered on a crucial understanding of monetization, client partnerships, and the actual mechanics of driving revenue. By the time I stepped into the role of GM and then running the entire division, I had experienced the business from almost every critical angle. That background is exactly why I am so passionate about breaking down silos today.

The biggest personal lesson I’ve taken from this journey is that true business growth requires a 360-degree view. The best leaders aren’t necessarily the ones with all the answers; they are the ones who can bridge the gap between driving revenue, crafting compelling content, and flawlessly delivering it to our audiences. Going from advertising, to sales, to running the division taught me how to connect the dots across very different disciplines and speak the ‘language’ of each team. That holistic perspective has been instrumental in helping our brands scale so dynamically, and it allows me to lead with empathy for what every single person on the team is contributing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend is visiting for a week, the goal is to give them the ultimate West LA experience (I don’t love driving so heading east of the 405 is a big-one for me) HAHA. What I would envision is a perfect mix of active mornings, world-class food, and just soaking in the local culture.

First things first, we have to start the day with a good sweat. I always tell people, if there isn’t a Peloton at your hotel, don’t worry, we are immediately hitting up a SoulCycle class in Brentwood to get the energy right. Post-workout, we’d grab a coffee and take a long, relaxed walk to catch up. Depending on the vibe that day, we’d either stroll down Montana Avenue in Santa Monica to check out the local boutiques and cafes, or head over to wander around downtown Culver City, which has such a great, dynamic energy right now.

You can’t come to LA without embracing the outdoors, so we would definitely carve out plenty of time just hanging out on the beach in Santa Monica. It’s the perfect way to reset. When we’re ready to switch gears, we’d head over for some shopping at the Century City mall. It is arguably one of the best outdoor retail and dining experiences in the city, perfect for browsing, people-watching, and enjoying the LA weather.

But let’s be honest, a huge part of this trip is going to revolve around food. At least one day, we are definitely eating on Sawtelle in West LA. The culinary scene there is incredible, and it’s so fun to just walk the block and experience the vibrant energy. And because no trip to the Westside is complete without phenomenal sushi, we’d have to do dinner either at Katsuya or KazuNori for the absolute best hand rolls, or Noma for a fantastic, classic neighborhood sushi experience.

To me, the most exciting thing about LA is this exact mix. You can have a wellness-focused morning, a beach afternoon, shopping, and unmatched, diverse dining all in the exact same day. It’s a city that is constantly evolving and never boring.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Steve Horowitz, President, Ziff Davis Tech and Shopping

Contact Info:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yael-prough-2557b8/

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