The 24/7 CEO

The Battle for Survival That Helped Build Digital Advertising

Published by Forbes Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

When the dot-com bubble burst in March 2000, thousands of companies vanished overnight. 24/7 Real Media should have been one of them.

David J. Moore's company went from a $1.8 billion market cap to penny stock territory in months. With 400 employees laid off, a stock price under a dollar, and auditors issuing a "going concern" opinion that signaled imminent failure, even his own leadership team wanted to discuss bankruptcy.

Moore's response: "We are taking this to the end."

The 24/7 CEO is the raw, unfiltered story of what it takes to save a dying company. Moore takes readers inside the brutal decision-making process during crisis: which employees to lay off, how to stop the bleeding while maintaining operations, and how to lead when everyone around you has lost faith.

This book is essential reading for entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty, executives facing existential threats, and anyone who needs proof that resilience and strategic thinking can overcome seemingly impossible odds. From the exhilaration of going public to the despair of near-bankruptcy to the triumph of a $649 million acquisition, Moore's story demonstrates that true leadership emerges when everything is on the line.

About The Author

DAVID J. MOORE is a pioneer in digital advertising with over 45 years of experience in media, technology, and marketing. He co-founded 24/7 Media in 1997, leading it through the dot-com crash to a $649 million acquisition by WPP. Moore subsequently served as Global President of WPP Digital and helped transform Xaxis into a programmatic advertising leader. He served on the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Board for nearly 20 years, including as Chairman (2009-2011) and first Chairman of the IAB Tech Lab. Moore is Vice Chair of the Advertising Education Foundation's Finance Committee and founder of the Ioanna C. Moore Foundation, which supports cancer research and families affected by the disease.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Forbes Books (September 1, 2026)
  • Length: 216 pages
  • ISBN13: 9798887508443

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Raves and Reviews

"In The 24/7 CEO, David demonstrates the importance of optimism and perseverance. Through a riveting account of leading a company through the inflation and bursting of the Internet Dot-Com Bubble, he imparts timeless lessons on leadership and life. This is a must-read, especially for anyone navigating the current AI Technology Platform Shift."
Jonathan Hsu
Business Finance Officer, VP, Google

"After building the cable TV and Internet industries from the ground up, David J. Moore uncovers the recipe for successful business leadership: Close the sale, defy death, and have a ton of fun."
Randall Rothenberg
CEO Emeritus, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB); Author, Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign

"Most companies failed during the Internet meltdown of 2001. The 24/7 CEO tells the story of how one company survived and prospered. It chronicles the foresight, resilience, and luck that were required ingredients in the journey of 24/7 Real Media and drove its triumph. This book reflects truth like the Rosetta stone."
Bob Perkins

"David nails the crucial importance of CEO agility and adaptability in a world beset by geo-political and technological uncertainty."
Sir Martin Sorrell (Senior Monk)
Founder & Executive Chairman, S4 Capital plc

"With The 24/7 CEO, David Moore offers an essential and heartfelt guide to navigating an ever-changing media world and how courageous leadership, undaunted determination, and having an instinctive sense of timing can lead to unpredictably successful outcomes. You may see yourself in these pages."
Paul Inouye
CEO & Founder, Western Hills Partners

"David J. Moore was the Winston Churchill of the Dot-Com CEO's. He never gave up, ever, ever. He fought hard until he was, literally, the last man standing in the industry. A great story. Wonderfully told."
Dave Morgan
Chief Executive Officer, Simulmedia

"David J. Moore led his company through the ups and downs of the early days of the digital revolution with strength and resilience. I certainly learned a lot from Dave Moore—and so can you."
Mark Read

"David’s story shows that true grit isn't mere stubbornness; it’s about the heart to regroup, recalibrate, and find a new angle of attack when everyone else is ready to cut bait. He knows when to take a strategic step back or redefine victory, but only to optimize his approach and keep swinging until his last breath. That’s the kind of leader you follow into any fight."
Mark E. Moran

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