Ilona Vijnik-Ritoch

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT ILONA VIJNIK-RITOCH

I lead paid media strategy at the intersection of healthcare, data, and emerging technology — with a focus on how the patient and HCP journey is evolving in an AI-driven world.Over the past several years, I’ve built and scaled biddable media across Search, Social, Programmatic, and CTV for pharmaceutical brands, helping teams move beyond channel-based optimization toward more connected, outcome-driven strategies.What’s become increasingly clear is that the traditional playbook is changing.Search is no longer just a traffic driver.Social platforms are shaping earlier decision-making.And AI is accelerating a shift toward zero-click journeys, where influence happens before a website visit ever occurs.My work today is focused on helping brands navigate that shift — rethinking how we approach visibility, measurement, and media investment in a more fragmented, non-linear environment.This includes:– Developing integrated planning frameworks that connect reach, sequencing, and measurable lift– Leveraging data partnerships to better understand audience quality and real-world outcomes– Exploring how AI-driven experiences are changing where and how brands need to show upI’m particularly interested in how paid media, search, and AI converge — and what that means for the future of healthcare marketing.Recently, I spoke on this topic at the MediaPost Pharma & Health Brand Insider Summit, focusing on how zero-click search is redefining the role of paid media.Always open to connecting with others thinking about where our industry is heading!