2025 IRG100 Participants

I am Hozefa Vohra, a seasoned marketing and insights professional with over 25 years of experience in marketing research, digital and data analytics, and strategic consulting. Currently, I serve as the Global Head of SFP Insights at Philip Morris International (PMI). In this role, I provide strategic insights and guidance to senior management and business leadership teams, enabling them to make critical decisions that drive both top and bottom-line growth through data-driven strategies.

My expertise lies in integrating data from various streams, including consumer research and first/thirdparty data, to generate meaningful descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics that help drive business recommendations. Over the past 15 years at PMI, I have been instrumental in shaping the company’s approach to insights and analytics across different geographies.

Before joining PMI, I worked with various research organizations in India and the EMEA region, gaining valuable experience and a deep understanding of global markets and consumer behavior.

On a personal note, I am originally from India and currently reside in Switzerland. I have lived across different continents over the past two decades. I am married and a proud father of two daughters.

Alice Colarusso leads Growth Marketing, Engagement, Analytics and Marketing technology at H&R Block. With 18 years of Marketing and Media experience across American Express, Amazon and PayPal, her career spans disciplines (Performance management, Brand marketing, .com and app user experience, customer service and sales) and verticals. Alice is an expert in Financial Services Marketing across Credit, FinTech and Tax and has also worked in ecommerce, Apparel and CPG.

She is a customer first marketer and people first leader with a long track record inspiring large teams and cross functional partners to deliver impact. Alice is a consumer experience evangelist who creates omnichannel experiences, humanizes digital experiences, and connects them to human interaction. She brings brands to life for customers with relevance, ease, and creativity. She believes positive energy powers life and aspires to elevate and help people, customers and partners every day.

Alice went to Bowdoin College in Maine and lives in Rye, NY with her husband Tony and three kids. She strives to be a present parent, cheering the kids on and teaching them to be kind, resilient humans in the world. She loves to host and bring family and friends together with theme parties, light up accessories and dancing.

Andy van Hassel currently serves as Global Marketing Director and Head of E-Commerce at Duvel Moortgat, a fourth-generation family-owned brewery that has grown tenfold in turnover since his tenure began. With over 20 years of marketing expertise, he has driven the transformation of Duvel Moortgat’s marketing operations into a global-local structure, spearheaded successful brand repositioning projects for flagship brands like Duvel, Vedett, and Chouffe, and launched innovative products such as Liefmans Fruitesse 0.0% and JARR Kombucha.

Andy’s career reflects a dynamic blend of strategic vision, creativity, and leadership, honed through roles in both international corporations and advertising agencies. As a multilingual professional fluent in Dutch, French, and English, he has consistently delivered results across multicultural environments, managing cross functional teams.

Andy holds multiple executive education credentials, including Finance for Executives (Antwerp Management School) and Brand Management (Vlerick Business School). Recognized as a thought leader, he has been a jury member for Agency of the Year and nominated for several prestigious awards, including an Effie for Duvel 666.

Beyond his professional achievements, Andy is a devoted family man, CrossFit enthusiast, field hockey coach with a passion for giving back through mentorship programs

Bernardo Meza is a dynamic strategist with a proven track record of driving success for global consumer brands and financial institutions. As the Chief Marketing Officer at University Federal Credit Union (UFCU), he leverages his creativity, experience, and passion for the community to improve the financial health of members and the broader community.

Throughout his career, Bernardo has demonstrated expertise in data-driven decision-making and long-range strategy development. His impressive portfolio includes transformative roles at renowned companies such as Mars Wrigley, Anheuser-Busch, Dr Pepper, and Procter & Gamble. Bernardo's strategic initiatives have consistently resulted in increased brand visibility, customer engagement, and market share.

He holds an MBA in marketing and strategy from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, a master's degree in business from Ecole D'Ingenieurs EPF in France, and a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from ITESM in Mexico.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Bernardo is committed to giving back to the community. He serves as an active advisor for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, supporting families in their higher education journeys. In his leisure time, Bernardo enjoys playing soccer and tennis, and delights in preparing traditional Spanish paella for friends and family, showcasing his multicultural background and zest for life.

Buli Ndlovu is a multi-award-winning marketing professional with over 17 years of experience across an array of industries including FMCG, telecommunications and most recently financial services where she currently occupies the position of Executive Head of Marketing for Retail and Business at Nedbank. A strategic leader in the financial services industry, Buli is truly passionate about and has consistently delivered work that is socially impactful, commercially viable and brand differentiating.

Navigating the corporate world through her belief in lifelong learning, Buli lives by the mantra, ""Every day is a school day”. As such, she is a certified Chartered Marketer who holds an honours degree in Marketing from the University of Johannesburg, an MBA from The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), a Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Business from Emeritus as well as successfully completed international leadership programs, namely Transition to General Management from INSEAD as well as the CMO Leadership Program from the Institute of Real Growth.

Voted in the Loeries 2022 Top 20 CMO / Marketing Directors in Africa and the Middle East, Buli is a sought-after keynote speaker and globally approved TEDx speaker. Buli is curious about life, a closet geek and when she`s not lecturing Marketing students, she`s in constant pursuit of being a God-fearing wife and somewhat of a cool mom...the jury is still out on that one.

Can Akar brings more than 15 years of experience to Uber, where he leads Marketing for Uber in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A brave and creatively driven Marketing leader, Can leads talented marketers across the region who build the Uber and Uber Eats brands in a hyper local way. As Executive sponsor of Uber Pride, Can champions a more equitable future for the LGBTQ+ community.

In his six years at Uber, he led Brand Marketing across EMEA first for Delivery, and then across both Delivery and Mobility. Prior to Uber, he spent nearly 10 years in various Marketing roles at Philips, including as Global Director of Consumer Marketing for Domestic Appliances and a senior Digital Marketing and Innovation role. Earlier in his career, Can honed his strategic mindset at Boston Consulting Group where he worked on strategy assignments across various industries.

I am a results-oriented senior executive in banking with a proven track record of transforming the reputation, branding, and customer impact of leading banks across Central and Eastern Europe. I have successfully led diverse, multi-disciplinary teams in cross-cultural settings, collaborated with high-level stakeholders including governments and regulators, and demonstrated a strong ability to set strategic directions and deliver measurable outcomes.

With an academic foundation from three of the world’s top business schools—IESE, INSEAD, and Bocconi—I bring a global perspective to my work. Fluent in English, Romanian, German, and French, I am deeply committed to fostering empathy-driven banking. My mission is to enable banks and institutional players to create prosperity at large in the communities they serve.

Currently, I am pursuing a doctoral degree (2023–2027) at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Italy, where my research explores the pivotal role of CEO empathy in driving new value creation within the financial services sector.

Cath grew up in South Africa and currently resides in Atlanta in the USA. For 10 years Cath spent her time in Tertiary education as a lecturer before she joined The Coca-Cola Company where she has spent 25 years in various capacities and across multiple geographies. Cath is currently Senior Global Vice President, Marketing & Public Affairs & Communication. She has great passion for talent stewardship, training & development and is an active executive coach. Cath holds a Bachelor, a Honors and a post graduate degree of Education. Cath is a strong champion of the Female empowerment agenda and is a member of The Coca-Cola Company’s Global Women In Leadership Council. Outside of the office, Cath is a huge fan of water related sport; trawls through antique markets looking for the next great find; loves to travel to new countries; is a huge music fan, happily married and Mom to twin sons and a daughter. She credits some incredible events along her life journey with her insatiable appetite to extract as much as she can out of every day as is evidenced by her tag line “Living with arms wide open”.

A passionate and curious marketer, driven by growth, effectiveness, and people.

I am a proud associate of Mars Inc, for over 20 years, I`ve had the pleasure of working in both local and global marketing teams, steering some of the world`s most recognised brands such as PEDIGREE, WHISKAS, SHEBA, M&M’S and MALTESERS. I recently experienced startup world, where I honed my leadership and agility skills while navigating typical startup challenges facing brands from concept to exit. I pride myself on thinking creatively to shape strategic agendas, especially in resource-constrained environments.

Now, back at Mars, I find immense joy charted with improving pet parent experiences and making the world, particularly Australia, a better place for pets.

As a progressive leader, I am passionate about connecting people to a compelling vision and delivering with pace and agility. I deeply care about people, talent, and capability, and I am dedicated to nurturing the next generation of marketers.

Beyond my professional life, I am a 5 star uber driver to my 3 kids and most weekends you can find me on the sidelines, cheering them on at various sporting events or on stage or supporting my beloved Australian Rules Football team, the Melbourne `Demons`.

Christopher Hirsch joined Intel three years ago and currently serves as Senior Director of the Brand, Creative & Social group, overseeing Intel`s global brand strategy, brand marketing, creative services, social media, and brand management. He held prior roles at Intel leading Brand Strategy & Identity and Product Branding & Naming.

Before joining Intel, Christopher was at Lexicon Branding, a boutique Bay Area branding and naming agency, directing strategy and research for many top tech clients, including Facebook, Twitter, Lyft, eBay, TikTok, and Intel. The Lexicon work involved overseeing brand positioning, creative naming, brand architecture, consumer research, and global language and cultural evaluations.

Prior to his career in marketing, Christopher was cognitive neuroscientist and academic, having taught at Berkeley, Harvard, and MIT. His doctoral and post-doctoral research focused on determining what biological and environmental factors make certain concepts distinctive and memorable. (Marketing is after all, applied cognitive psychology!)

Christopher lives in Oakland, CA with his wife (also in brand marketing), young daughter, and rambunctious Rhodesian Ridgeback. He’s an enthusiast hiker, scuba diver, photographer, and wine snob. And when time allows, a nighttime volunteer at The Marine Mammal Center providing hands-on patient care for ill or injured seals and sea lions./p>

With over 15 years of extensive experience in executive and board-level positions within renowned family-run businesses and prominent brands, Claudia has established herself as a distinguished leader in the corporate world. Her career includes serving as the former Global Chief Marketing Officer and her membership on the executive board at IKEA Group as well as her current role as a Member of the Executive Board at Dr. Oetker, where she oversees Marketing, Sustainability and Research & Development.

Claudia`s leadership is characterised by a combination of strong strategic expertise and meticulous execution skills, which have consistently driven notable business achievements throughout her tenure at IKEA Group. Her remarkable track record, coupled with her extensive experience as a marketing services executive, has not only earned her widespread acclaim, including induction into the Global Marketer Hall of Fame by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), but also established her as a sought-after keynote speaker at prestigious conferences and corporate events.

Danielle is a dynamic leader with extensive experience in marketing, brand creation and general management in startup, high growth and turnaround businesses. She has a proven track record of driving business value in fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and creative environments by building and leading cross-functional teams through change. She has held senior roles most recently at Netflix where she was the Vice President of Marketing since 2014, and prior to that at Starbucks, Vodafone, The Gap, Wieden+Kennedy (working on Microsoft and NIke) and Young&Rubicam. Danielle has held a number of Non Executive Director/Advisory roles, did her MBA at Insead in 2003 and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences since 2017. Danielle grew up in Geneva, Switzerland and has lived and worked in London, Paris, Sydney, San Francisco, Portland, Amsterdam and Los Angeles… and has recently relocated to the New York area with her dog Fudge.

Danilo Tauro is the GM at UberEats Advertising, where he drives growth by working across product, sales, marketing, operations, and delivery. Previously, he served as a Product Leader at Amazon Ads, where he built advertising technology products, and as Global Director at Procter & Gamble, on the advertising buy-side.

Danilo is an expert in the digital, media, adtech, and martech ecosystems and is also an investor and advisor at Aperiam Ventures, a specialized VC fund. He has worked for 9 years in Europe (Switzerland, Italy, Spain) and 6 years in the US (San Francisco, Boston, Miami), with additional experiences in Panama and South Africa.

Danilo holds a PhD in engineering (with a focus on risk management) and has been a Guest Lecturer at Harvard Business School, SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy), and the Robert H. Smith School of Business (Washington, DC). He is the author of various papers on media and risk published in international journals. Danilo was selected as one of AdAge`s 40 Under 40 (2020) and the American Marketing Association`s 4 Under 40 (2022).

Diane Gotua is a global business leader with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, operations, and corporate development across sports, entertainment, and finance. As SVP, Global Head of Strategy at Fanatics, she led the enterprise data strategy and co-developed the ""Fanatics Live"" app and the company’s loyalty strategy.

Previously, Diane held various leadership roles at the NBA, contributing to the formation of NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League. She also oversaw the league`s partnership with USA Basketball and served as Managing Director for NBA India, orchestrating the first NBA games in Mumbai.

Her early career includes roles at Barclays Capital, Lehman Brothers, the IMF, and the World Bank. Diane is passionate about empowering communities through sports and media, serving on several nonprofit boards and advisory councils, including Hyphen Capital and Moët Hennessy IDE. She is an alum of NYU Stern and has taught at NYU’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport.

Diane resides in New York with her husband and three children.

Sr. Marketing Executive, with more than 27 years of international experience in worldwide leading companies such as Kellogg and Pepsico. I have developed and implemented brand strategies and strong positionings of leading brands in complex environments, thru communication campaigns, promotions, point of sales activations, launch new brands and products, developed content to be executed in all media vehicles (TV, print, radio, digital marketing), ensuring positive results growing share, net sales and improve profitability margins.

I am consumer, shopper and customer centric professional, with high levels of strategic thinking and long-term vision. Focused on drive excellent business results based on data analytics. I have broad experience on leading multifunctional and multicultural teams across matrix organizations, my skills on human capital and finance are remarkable. Managing budgets of $1,800 million pesos annually, reaching execution excellence. Languages: Spanish and English.

My mission is to help the world make wiser decisions while fostering collaboration and innovation. I thrive on exploring new technologies to drive business growth and aligning people and strategies to achieve ambitious goals. Partnerships and our wider professional networks will be increasingly necessary in driving humanized growth and understanding the how behind collective decisions will make us better leaders.

As an entrepreneur (multiple exits), a seasoned Private Equity CMO Operating Partner, I focus on understanding how businesses generate value and crafting strategies that make clients desire their products and services. I excel at building high-performance teams and mentoring them to execute ambitious visions swiftly and effectively.

As a professor, my research focuses on Decision Management and Consensus Creation, exploring areas such as KPI alignment, Systems of Engagement, Data Architecture, Insight-to-Decision Customer Experience (CX), and Artificial Intelligence since 2012.

Relationships are at the heart of my work. I believe in the power of giving and sharing to create meaningful connections and help others succeed.

Fleur Osté is a distinguished professional with a passion for sustainability, marketing, and the arts. She graduated, as part of the honours class, cum laude with a double degree in Marketing Management and Corporate Law at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. She was awarded with the Professor H.W. Lambers Prize for her outstanding academic results. In her studies, she gained international experience in Brazil and Ireland during internships at AkzoNobel, Unilever and Procter & Gamble. 

After graduation, Fleur embarked on a career with Unilever, taking on various marketing and commercial roles in the Netherlands and abroad. Her innovative marketing strategies have earned her several industry awards. Her dedication and expertise have led her to her current position as Head of Marketing Ice Cream Benelux” at Unilever for the ice cream division in the Benelux, with iconic brands such as Magnum and Ben & Jerry's.

In addition to her role at Unilever, Fleur serves on the supervisory board of Social Enterprise NL, where she contributes to the social enterprise sector in the Netherlands, supporting companies that aim to make a positive social impact. Fleur's multifaceted career and personal passions highlight her commitment to making a difference in both business and society, for which she was awarded with an Outstanding Alumni Award by the Erasmus University. 

Gunjan Khetan serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Perfetti Van Melle India, where he spearheads the company`s marketing operations. Leading a dynamic team, he oversees a robust portfolio that includes iconic brands such as Mentos, Chupa Chups, Alpenliebe, Center Fresh and Happydent among others. He has close to 20 years of industry experience and has worked in markets across the world including the UK, USA, South Korea, and India where he steered multiple complex portfolios while navigating multi-cultural, multi-channel complexities.

Gunjan joined Perfetti Van Melle India in 2022 after a successful tenure at Reckitt, where he served as Vice President of Marketing in the Vitamins business. At Reckitt, he was instrumental in driving exponential growth through breakthrough innovation, eCommerce strategies, portfolio management, and in-market execution.

He serves as an active thought leader in the marketing domain and has been a key member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) National Committee on Marketing Leadership and an advisory board member for multiple organizations. Outside of work, he is a trusted mentor to startups and businesses, offering guidance on marketing strategy, consumer experience (CX), and brand building. He has won many industry awards including “Top 100 marketers of India” for two years consecutively.

Gunjan is an avid traveler, having explored over 30 countries. He is also a passionate pet parent and loves spending time with his dog.

Gunjan`s diverse career, marked by significant leadership roles and a track record of delivering market-leading innovations, positions him as a prominent figure in the marketing landscape, both in India and globally.

Voted one of the Top 10 Innovative Women in Digital Marketing, Hannah is an accomplished, entrepreneurial, and solution-oriented Marketing Director with over 22 years’ experience working on market leading brands in the most competitive UK marketing environments.

Hannah has been working at Saga Cruise for the last 3.5 years spearheading the Marketing Transformation Strategy with great success. She has been leading the Marketing Strategy to transform the Brand & Communications Marketing mix, Performance, Digital, UX, E-commerce and CRM Transformations delivering record Cruise Sales and record PBMT. She effectively manages a team of 35 marketeers and a marketing budget of circa £19m.

Hannah brings a unique blend of client-side and agency experience, with wide industry exposure. She’s an agile operator with many successes across a wide range of industries. Prior to her time with Saga she held senior marketing roles at leading household consumer brands Sky, More Than and Direct Line.

Hannah is an active Mentor in the Industry championing and empowering women in Marketing, Advertising & Communications.

Hannah Sowers is a dynamic and accomplished global marketing and ecommerce executive with over 19 years of experience in consumer product and portfolio business leadership. Currently serving as the Global Head of Audible on Amazon Marketing, Hannah is responsible for managing vast revenue streams and leading strategy, marketing, and commercialization efforts across various platforms. Her expertise spans business strategy, market analysis, product positioning, performance marketing, and customer lifecycle management.

Throughout her career, Hannah has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive growth and innovation in the digital space. Her achievements include successfully pivoting Audible to a subscription and retail business model globally, transforming customer segmentation strategies, and integrating Audible into Amazon's advertising systems. Hannah is known for her data-driven approach, her skill in building inclusive and diverse teams, and her strong collaboration across technical and business units.

Jennifer Owens is a marketing executive and founder focused on sustainability and diversity issues. She currently leads marketing at Ceezer and previously served as Marketing Director at Flowcarbon and Global Content Strategy Lead for Sustainability at Meta.

Jennifer founded Jennwork, an independent content strategy firm working with mission-driven clients, and co-hosts the Engaging ESG podcast with Kati Kallins, Global Sustainability Lead at Adobe. With a background in editorial leadership at Working Mother Media and digital strategy at various women-focused organizations, Jennifer is also passionate about working-parent issues, women`s health and flexible work policies.

She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two cats as her two kids have decamped for college. Fun fact: Until recently, Jennifer sang in Two Minute Thrills, a NYC punk band.

Jennifer was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer of Cars Commerce in July 2022. In this position, she leads the strategy and execution for consumer and industry marketing functions, along with the delivery of the Cars Commerce Media Network and Dealer Inspire marketing services.

Prior to joining Cars Commerce, Jennifer served at Publicis Groupe as executive vice president and managing director, where she played an integral role in Publicis’ transformation from a holding company into a platform strategy. During her tenure with the company, she worked with cross-functional teams to unite media, data, and technology solutions into winning client propositions and connected marketing strategies. Jennifer held various leadership positions within the Publicis Media division; during her time with the company, she built its global business development function, transformed large consumer packaged goods and retail accounts, and piloted new products and services.

Jennifer holds an MBA from Chicago Booth in Marketing, Economics and Statistics and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Entertainment and Media Management from Columbia College Chicago.

Jeyan is a truly global senior executive, with +27 years of diverse marketing and strategic leadership experience in developed and emerging markets. He is an expert in turning around businesses, delivering growth, building global brands, brand architecture, design, innovation, and people development.

Over the years Jeyan had CMO, COO and CEO responsibilities for the direction of all aspects of global businesses. He successfully led organizations across different markets and categories.

Originally from Turkey, Jeyan began his career at Procter & Gamble Group, where he held various marketing roles of increasing responsibility in Turkey, Belgium, Romania, and Germany. He worked at Danone Group as Vice President & Global Director Marketing, living in Germany and Spain. In 2014, Jeyan joined Ansell as President of Sexual Wellness division. He also took over CMO role for group Ansell.

After divestiture of the division to Chinese PE, Jeyan became the CEO of the newly created LifeStyles Healthcare and moved to Bangkok, Thailand. He relocated to UK in 2020, and until recently he worked at Alliance Healthcare as COO.

Jeyan has lived in eight countries and speaks six languages. He is a member of YPO (Young Presidents Organization), he volunteers on various networking platforms.

Julie Peters is Global Head of Brand Strategy, Insights, and Campaigns at Amazon Music. She is responsible for defining, implementing and evolving Amazon Music’s Global Brand Strategy, leading Brand & Audience insights, and developing and executing Brand campaigns.

Julie joined Amazon Music after spending 5 years within the sports sector as Head of Brand Strategy and Management at the NBA. Prior to that, she spent time at branding agencies FutureBrand and Pearlfisher, as a Senior Brand Strategist, leading various brand programs across a range of industries such as airlines, CPG, tech and financial services. Julie’s first experience as a Brand Strategist was working for the Virgin brand, supporting Richard Branson’s team to extend the Virgin brand footprint in North America. From that experience on Julie has been inspired and energized by both exciting and gnarly Brand strategy assignments.

Julie is a part of the Women in Sports & Events network and attended the Women’s Executive Leadership Institute at Dartmouth University as part of the organization. She graduated from Syracuse University, loves music, New York City and her two girls – Noa (daughter) and Ruby (dog).

Julka Villa, an Italian native, has built a global career across Europe, South America, and North America, leveraging over 25 years of expertise in the beauty and beverage industries. A graduate of Luigi Bocconi University, she combines strategic insight with creative excellence to build culturally resonant, premium brands.

Before joining CAMPARI GROUP in 2009, Julka held leadership roles in marketing, business intelligence, and communications at Heineken and L’Oréal in Italy. At CAMPARI, she has driven transformative growth, first as Global Brand Director for Campari, then as Marketing Director in Brazil, and later as Managing Director of the Italian Icons portfolio. Her tenure reflects a knack for elevating iconic brands on the global stage.

In 2017, Julka relocated to the U.S., expanding her portfolio management to include whisk(e)y, rum, tequila, vodka, and cognac. She also founded and led RARE US, a division focused on super-premium products. In 2022, she was named Group Head of Marketing, steering the company’s Spirits Brands portfolio to continued success.

With a global perspective rooted in Italian heritage, Julka is a leader who blends innovation and strategy to transform brands into cultural icons. She currently lives with her family in New York City.

Justyna Valente is a dynamic and highly motivated professional with over 10 years of experience in the airline industry and more than 20 years in marketing.

Ms Kai Britt Boschmann is Chief Marketing & Communications Officer with a global remit for its Marketing and Communications strategy at International SOS, the world’s leading health & security risk management company headquartered in London, operating in 92 countries. She is a member of the Group Leadership Committee, Executive Director of one of its group subsidiaries and Chair of the company’s ESG Board.

Before that, her work experience spanned 20 years at Cable & Wireless Worldwide plc, Dixons Group plc Burger King International, and Federal Express Corp. (FedEx) in senior marketing & communications roles.

She has lived and worked in the US, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium and the UK. She is tri-lingual.

She holds an M.A. in Marketing from a prestigious business school in Paris, an MBA from European University in Brussels, and completed the Cranfield University marketing directors` programme on leading profitable growth. She enjoys mentoring, guest lecturing, and conference speaking.

Kai serves on the IPSOS Reputation Council, is Chair of the BSI Committee for Travel Risk Management, and holds the FT Non-Exec Director Diploma.

Outside of work, she is an advanced personal trainer, practices yoga, and studied life coaching at the Institute of Leadership. Kai is also a certified mental health first aider. She is learning to play the piano (ABRSM Grade 4).

Katherine Beede is EVP, Chief Marketing Officer for The TJX Companies, Inc., the leading off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the U.S. and worldwide, operating over 5000 stores in 9 countries across 3 continents.

Katherine has an extensive marketing background with over 35 years of experience igniting customer passion, building brand affinity and driving business growth. In her current role, Katherine is responsible for effective marketing across the global TJX portfolio of brands including TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, TK Maxx, Winners, HomeSense and Sierra, operating in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia. Katherine has been a part of the TJX family for over 27 years and has held numerous marketing leadership positions throughout her career. Before joining TJX, Katherine spent 10 years on the advertising agency side of marketing, supporting clients in the retail and quick-service restaurant industries.

Katherine has been a dedicated steward of the Company’s 40-year partnership with Save the Children, and developed strategic alliances for TJX with both Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s The Jimmy Fund and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Katherine also served for several years on The TJX Companies’ Foundation Advisory Council. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Lawrence Academy, a private secondary school in Groton, Massachusetts.

Katherine is originally from New York City, where she grew up fully engaged in the world’s most exciting retail city. She graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a BA in American Studies. She currently lives in historic Concord, Massachusetts with her husband and is the proud mother of two adult daughters.

Kerttu Inkeroinen is Marketing and E-commerce Director of Lucky Saint, the UK`s #1 dedicated alcohol-free beer. Kerttu has worked in consumer goods for over 18 years, starting her career working with household-name brands of Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex, Andrex and Huggies) before moving on to journey through drinks sector: from The Coca-Cola Company leaping into the world of scale up at Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, before joining Lucky Saint in 2022. She was selected as one of Marketing Week’s Top 100 most Effective Marketeers in 2023 and 2024 and is a judge for Marketing Week, The Drum and IPA Effectiveness Awards. Lucky Saint won the Brand of The Year by Marketing Society in 2023, as well as The Grocer Drinks Brand of the year.

Lauren Flanigan is the Head of Global Brand Marketing for Refreshment Categories at Mondelēz International. Lauren was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton school of business where she graduated with a B.S. in Economics and concentrations is strategic management and marketing. After graduating from Penn, Lauren moved to New Jersey to join Mondelēz as a brand management associate. Since joining, Lauren has succeeded in leading multiple brands across categories and has consistently received increasing responsibility in her roles. A few of Lauren’s career highlights include leading the Lady Gaga x OREO collaboration (OREO’s most ever talked about campaign with over 4B+ impressions), leading OREO’s 2020 Olympics campaign, leading OREO’s Big Santa TikTok campaign (which logged over 1.5B+ views), leading a viral experiential campaign on Trident gum featuring T-pain (which delivered the highest earned media impressions in the brand’s recent history), and leading the launch of the Mondelēz international seasonal confections business.

In her spare time, Lauren volunteers with multiple youth centered organizations such as 21st Century leaders, where she currently serves as the Alumni Board Chair. In the past, Lauren has also volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and America Needs You. Lauren also served as the Mondelez International African Ancestry co-lead for 6 years and was awarded the Leader of the Year for her work to advance DEI at Mondelez International and advance inclusive marketing work on OREO.

Lili Gil Valletta is an award-winning entrepreneur, TV business contributor, TED speaker, and former Johnson & Johnson executive and pioneer in multicultural marketing. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Culture+ Group, an independent and 100% minority-owned conglomerate of Cultural Intelligence® Companies specializing in AI-powered market research, business growth consulting, and inclusive marketing. Recognized three years in a row by Inc. 5000 as one of America’s fastest-growing companies, Culture+ Group includes CIEN+, CIEN+ Health, The Choice+, and Human Dot Plus. The firm serves leading Fortune 100 brands and companies that want to accelerate growth by tapping into diverse market segments. Lili is also one of less than 2% of Latinas on Fortune 500+ public boards, serving as an independent director for Zumiez (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) and RCN Television (BVC: RCNTELEVI). She also chairs FRIENDS of the National American Latino Museum and is an investor and board member for AUA Private Equity Partners, which has invested over $475 million in family-owned and Hispanic-focused businesses

Lili’s thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, and Fortune, earning accolades such as NBCU/Telemundo’s Top 50 Unstoppable Women, Top 101 Most Influential Latinos, PRWeek’s Top 30 Most Influential in Healthcare, and U.S. Hispanic Businessperson of the Year. Lili is actively involved with the United Nations Health as a founding partner of the Health Equity Forum and a member of the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader alumna

I am passionate about developing people, and how to build a success by installing a culture that both embraces diversity by creating a safe environment as well as encourages high performance. I take this with me both in personal and professional surroundings, at home as a mother of two daughters and wife and as a director and co-owner at Frisse Blikken.

My background is in Business Administration and I mastered in Business & Society management.

Within Frisse Blikken, my role encompasses stewardship of key client relationships and steering our company into growth. I am also responsible for HR, recruitment and talent development. I foster a culture that values transparency, continuous learning, and collective entrepreneurship, enabling our team to contribute to a progressive workspace.

I specialize in sharing a fresh perspective on business transformation and future forward HR strategy implementation, with a focus on creativity in talent development and change activation. I believe in the value creation cycle, when you invest in people and their talents, you’ll deliver better products and services to clients, which leads to better businesses. Better to me means better for all, including people and society or the environment as a whole.

Marcel Ribbens is a marketing leader with over 25 years of experience driving growth for prominent B2C companies, including Unilever, Dutch National Lottery, and Facebook. Currently, he is building the brand and accelerating business at Bitvavo, one of Europe’s leading crypto exchanges

Passionate about winning in consumer markets, Marcel’s career spans diverse sectors from FMCG to FinTech. He has successfully led teams and branded businesses to higher performance by combining his FMCG branding heritage with modern (digital) marketing solutions. He believes in an integrated marketing approach, balancing both the magic (inspiration/creativity) and the logic (data/technology) of marketing.

Marcel lives near Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with his wife and three children. He enjoys life with family and friends, good food and drinks, sports (fitness, padel, and skiing), and media and entertainment.

Committed to lifelong learning, he looks forward to connecting with global leaders and exploring new approaches to leadership through the IRG100 program.

Margaret Herndon is a Global Chief Marketing Officer with over 20 years of experience transforming B2B organizations through innovative marketing strategies. A Georgetown University and Columbia Business School graduate, she built her foundation at Hewlett Packard, rising to Vice President of Enterprise Industry Marketing over a decade.

As CMO at Ericsson, she led marketing for the $6B North America region and served as Executive Sponsor of the company`s first LGBTQ & Allies group. At WestRock, she established the company`s inaugural Customer Advisory Board, bringing together C-suite leaders from global companies like Walmart and Coca-Cola. Most recently at RealPage, she led a 110-person team with a $28M budget, driving growth through strategic marketing initiatives and executive thought leadership programs.

Margaret holds a Certificate in AI from Northwestern`s Kellogg Executive Program and has been recognized in the 2024 Global B2B CMO 100 Awards and the National Diversity & Leadership Conference`s Power50. Her commitment to community service includes Board membership at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and serving as Heart Walk Chair for the American Heart Association.

Mariana serves as Sr Director, Category Lead for Alcohol Ready to Drink in Europe. In thus role she reports to the Europe CMO and is responsible for Leading the Category Strategy, innovation pipeline and Marketing plans for this new business of the Coca-Cola Company within main European Countries.

Curious and attracted by new challenges, she has a growth mindset and passion for understanding consumer needs and insights, building brands, strategies and innovations for sustainable growth. She loves working with people and for people, helping talents growth and thrive thought the development of a safe and trust environment and collaborative culture.

With more than 15 years working in Coca-Cola Company she is a well-rounded professional with experience in different beverages categories and brands, different areas as commercial and customer leadership, local marketing operations and reginal category lead positions, also within different markets within Latin America and most recently Europe.

She is Brazilian, current living in London with her husband and their 2 dogs and enjoys music, art and travelling. You can see more of her work at linkedin.com/in/mariana-branco-2a549b6

With over 12 years of marketing experience in the automotive industry, I currently serve as the LATAM Marketing Director at Nissan, where I lead regional marketing strategies to drive brand growth across Latin America. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to lead major marketing activations, including Nissan`s sponsorship of the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil and multiple Champions League activations in Europe, which have significantly enhanced brand visibility and consumer engagement.

My career journey began in consulting at Accenture, where I spent 8 years honing my strategic problem-solving skills for various clients. I later transitioned into marketing roles at Whirlpool before joining the automotive industry. I’ve worked in dynamic markets like Brazil and have expatriate experience in Mexico and Japan, which has enriched my cultural understanding and leadership abilities in diverse settings.

My leadership style emphasizes people management and developing high-performing teams, a key strength throughout my career. As I continue to grow in my role, I aim to leverage my international experience and strategic marketing expertise to drive further innovation and customer engagement in the automotive sector.

Marie Van Blaricum drives marketing innovation by building world-class insights capabilities within global organizations. Her expertise lies in transforming how companies leverage digital data, technology and insights to identify consumer opportunities and drive business growth.

Currently, Marie leads marketing insights at Google, where she is focused on the evolving role of insights and marketing in the age of AI and ensuring Google`s products are centered around user needs. Prior to this, she spearheaded similar transformations at Unilever and ABInbev, championing insights innovation and data-driven decision making across all marketing activities.

Marie`s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, AdAge and WARC, and has won numerous awards including MRS innovation of the year and best in-house team. She is a frequent advisor for startups and universities, and actively contributes to the advancement of marketing technology, female founders, and consumer insights.

Melanie has extensive experience in large and mid-sized family-owned businesses at board level, including commercial roles at Unilever and the Elho group. She is skilled in leading multi-functional international teams within consumer goods markets and thrives on growing businesses with a clear focus on results, people, and the planet. Outside of work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her partner Kay and their three children. She loves cooking, Asian Food, traveling, photography, and immersing herself in nature, always inspired by its beauty!

Currently working and living in Luxembourg during the week. The family lives in Denmark.

25+ years of experience within the insurance industry – mainly international employee benefits.

I am enjoying running, golfing and wine (in that order).

My mission is nothing less than “changing the world – starting with the insurance industry”.

Since 2016, CEO Swiss Life Network. Responsible for the cooperation with +90 local insurers/pension providers in +80 countries as well as 20 global wellbeing providers. This usually means up to 150 travel days in a year.

Before that, VP & Head of International Danica Pension / Danske Bank (Nordics) combined with various experiences on external ExC and BoD.

In parallel I have founded or co-founded a few start-ups, mainly insurtech, management consulting and Gen Z.

Danish Insurance Academy: Insurance & Pension Law, Risk Management

Occasionally co-author of various white papers on “Wellbeing vs. Traditional Employee Benefits”, “Generation Z”, “Insurer’s responsibility for Wellbeing” and latest “Future of Work – employee benefits”

For the last 20 years, Murat has been working with passion and high energy in the fields of marketing, brand management, marketing communication, and corporate communications. He defines the source of his interest in these areas as the opportunity to mediate creation and change.

To provide a societal perspective on the transformative impact of brands, he wrote his MBA thesis on ‘Purpose-Driven Marketing.’ He works to build a community-focused brand by contributing through both social investments and the business itself.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, he views the humanities as a valuable nourishment for understanding the societal background. After completing his undergraduate degree, he earned a master’s degree in Business Administration and completed the Visionary Leadership and Innovation program at Insead Business School.

Additionally, under the pseudonym ‘POLVO,’ he is a sculptor and a contemporary artist in his home country, using art as a channel to produce and disseminate social messages. His works contain societal inquiries. Drawing from his background in Political Science and advertising practice, he creates art forms as a higher form of communication. His works have been exhibited in Miami, London, Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

With 25 years of experience building connected brands, Naomi is focused on culture and creativity as the drivers of innovation and growth in her role as Global Chief Marketing Officer for VML. She is responsible for global marketing of the VML brand, working cross-functionally across the network to drive global business and brand growth.

Naomi was previously Global Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Wunderman Thompson, during which time the network was named Global Integrated Network of the Year and named as a ‘Standout’ agency on Ad Age’s A-List. Prior to that Naomi was at MullenLowe Group where she served as their Global Chief Growth Officer. During her tenure she led the global rebranding of the MullenLowe Group network which was awarded a Cannes Lion.

Prior to MullenLowe Group, Naomi spent a decade at Havas where she held key roles across Europe, the USA and Asia. She served as CEO, Havas Worldwide Southeast Asia, based in Singapore, and Global CMO of Havas Worldwide, based in New York, where she also led the global rebranding of the Euro RSCG Worldwide network and its agencies as Havas Worldwide.

Naomi started her career at McCann Erickson, graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Biology, and lives in New York with her husband and step-daughters.

I am a family man with 3 kids together with my wife Roby based in Delft, NL and Milan, Italy. I am enthusiastic for life and willing to reciprocate all kindness received. I am convinced that professional life can be a great source of learning and satisfaction if we help people find their value, always!

Indeed, the daily exposures to diversity in the job environment can teach us a lot, and the workplace presents a great opportunity to grow personally and professionally by practicing listening skills, compassion, and care, all with an orientation of service to our fellow human beings.

Music adds even more flavour to my life, and in this vein, the piano is my best friend.

Sharing knowledge is another important task in life: I am author of two marketing/sales books “Pricing INside OUT” (2020) and “The Shamrock Model: Marketing – Design - R&D convergence” (2011).

I also believe that studying is vital: I have a degree in business (Italy and UK) and a post-degree in marketing. This education has enabled me the good fortune of being able to travel the world, for professional and personal reasons…most of the time, bringing my family with me.

Finally, I do encourage everybody to do some volunteering: this is a life-changing experience. I am on duty on the ambulance (Red Cross) and the connection I make through this work helping suffering people nurtures a sense of beauty inside me…I find it priceless!

Accomplished Chief Marketing Officer and Sustainability leader, with 25+ years of international consumer goods experience. Expert in driving sustainable growth, amplifying brand portfolios, and leading power brand strategies in competitive markets. Proven track record in business and marketing transformation, digital innovation, and consumer engagement, at local, regional and global levels. Known for fixing, developing and transforming businesses and categories through agile, game-changing strategies, executing with excellence, and leading extraordinary teams. Strong focus on embedding sustainability into business strategies within complex, global matrix environments.

Inspiring, genuine, and culturally adaptable leader. A hands-on, commercial, self-starter, who drives meaningful impact across businesses, brands, and people. Committed to creating a better future for the next generation.

Core Skills: #Strategic leadership. #Business transformation. #Consumer Centricity. #Sustainability. #Leadership Effectiveness.

Olya is a marketing leader and digital expert with over 16 years of experience enhancing consumer experiences and unlocking business value through the power of media, digital transformation, responsible marketing, and change management.

Currently, Olya is the Global Media and Data Director at HEINEKEN, where she drives growth through breakthrough communications, capability development, and responsible media practices across more than 60 operating companies. Previously, Olya worked at global agencies, supporting major clients such as McDonald’s, Bacardi, and The Coca-Cola Company.

Known as a creative thinker, change-maker, and advocate for inclusive and sustainable marketing, Olya was recognized as ""Media Leader 2023"" in the Advertiser category for her work at HEINEKEN and contributions to the media industry.

Passionate about female empowerment, Olya mentors and coaches young female talent. Outside of work, she’s a spinning and running enthusiast, champagne lover, foodie, raver, art aficionado, and avid traveler.

Othman Bennis is currently Global Chief Digital and Marketing Officer for L’Oréal Consumer Product Division, where he is responsible for driving the Digital Transformation of the Division with a special focus on AI.

Aged 43, he was born and raised in Morocco and had the opportunity to study in Morocco, France and Mexico and to work in France, Ireland, Spain and the Middle East region, especially the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

He’s been working in the L’Oréal group for 18 years with a very diverse, fast-track career, well-balanced between Business (two General Management positions in Spain and Middle East), Global Marketing/development (Global La Roche-Posay Deputy General Manager) and Digital/Technology roles (Digital Services Director + current role).

Othman is married, has 2 kids and 2 dogs, is a big sports fan (soccer, handball, tennis, ultratrail, Judo, etc) and passionate about Technology, Digital, E-sports. He also loves and collects comic books as a hobby!

Prashant Deorah, a digital pioneer with over 15+ years in leadership roles within digital strategy and digital marketing. He began as an Internet entrepreneur in his late 20s and later transitioned into a passionate advocate for digital technologies. His expertise spans from award-winning web development to impactful search strategies, ROI-driven performance marketing, millennial-focused mobile engagement, social platform community building, and compelling content creation.

Since 2006, he has led Puretech Digital, guiding a dynamic team of 250+ digital strategists and marketing professionals. Together, they empower companies, individuals, brands, and agencies to leverage digital's full potential for exceptional business outcomes.

At Puretech Digital, the focus is on delivering comprehensive digital solutions that seamlessly merge creativity with technology and data-driven insights. Key services revolve around Organic Growth Marketing (SEO, On-site & Off-site Optimization), Performance Marketing (Paid Media), Marketing Automation (CRM, Lead Nurturing), Content Marketing, Creative & Brand Solutions, and Data and Analytics.

The impactful campaigns for esteemed clients like HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Victoria’s Secret India, Vijay Sales, TCS, and HT Media underscore their prowess across diverse technologies, channels, and tools. With over a decade of experience, their firm has earned a strong reputation, especially in the BFSI industry.

Their work has been recognized at the Shark Awards by ET Brand Equity, Campaign India Digital Crest Awards, Marketers' Excellence Awards by Afaqs, mCube, Pitch BFSI, Great Indian BFSI Awards, Inkspell, and Media Strategy Awards by ET Brand Equity. They were honored as the Performance Marketing Agency of the Year-2022 at AgencyCon hosted by Social Samosa. The same year, they earned the title of ROI-driven Agency of the Year at The Great Indian BFSI Awards. Additionally, they are proud recipients of the SEO Agency of the Year for four consecutive years at the Social Samosa AgencyCon (2019-2022).

At Puretech Digital, they deeply work on culture building that celebrates their Puremates and their achievements. Their commitment to employee satisfaction is reflected in being awarded the prestigious Great Place to Work title in 2023.

Beyond Puretech Digital, Prashant has contributed as a member of the Prime Minister’s IT Task Force during Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee’s term, shaping policies for hosting in India and advancing the .in domain.

His passion lies in leveraging web technologies, digital marketing channels, and mobility solutions to achieve business goals and transform user experiences. As a dedicated professional and effective communicator, he commits himself to the work and the finesse of digital innovation.

Beyond his professional commitment, he values craftsmanship. Additionally, he is an avid enthusiast of retro and lounge music. Also, a marathon runner and a trekker, Prashant has consistently maintained a strong vision, steering the journey of Puretech Digital and its network companies with great acumen and vigour.

A veteran of The Coca-Cola Company since starting in 2011, Robin leads the Integrated Marketing Experience organization for Coca-Cola North America. This is a diverse team across (9) disciplines (E2E Connections & Media, Digital Owned Platforms, Connected Commerce, Design, Content Activation, Social, Multi-cultural, Shopper Creative and StudioX) with the vision of bringing the power of Creativity + Media + Data + Tech + Commerce together to deliver business driving consumer-first experiences. Prior to this role Robin has been in various leadership roles across the Company, most recently leading the E2E Connections & Media team. Prior to Coca-Cola, Robin worked for digital media agencies across clients such as Verizon Wireless.

Robin has been honored for her leadership in IMX as ADWEEK’s 50 in 2024, which recognizes changemakers who raise the bar on innovation and are essential for driving growth in their Company and for the industry. She was also recognized as Age’s 40 under 40 in 2022 for her work in leading Coca-Cola’s media transformation.

Robin is an avid runner, who completed her goal this year of running a half or full marathon on all seven continents. She is an active community member, on Executive Boards for the Atlanta Track Club and UGA Grady College Advertising & PR department. Robin resides in Atlanta, GA where she lives with her husband Jeremy.

About Me

Experienced marketer leading teams of multiple marketing disciplines, including PR, internal communications, brand strategy, marketing campaign management, events, conferencing and digital marketing. I have been a marketer for 15 years across various industries.

Professional Journey

I have been a marketer in various industries, including FMCG, QSR and Financial Services, working across global and local brands. In FMCG, I was part of the brand team for Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell and Castle Lite, managing various brand campaigns from strategy development to market execution. In QSR, I was the head of marketing for Domino’s Pizza SA, working closely with global marketing teams to develop and execute the SA brand strategy. In Financial services, I have worked across Asset Management and Investment Banking, honing my skills from being a traditional consumer brands marketer to a B2B marketer. My traditional marketing background and knowledge of these complex businesses have given me a unique skill in growing financial services brands.

Expertise

As a challenger brand strategist, my speciality lies in building brands that are not the leaders in the market. I have a unique skill in finding and developing these brands` unique points of view on the world and growing them to compete with industry giants. I enjoy working with smaller budgets; it encourages you to be more creative and lean into your entrepreneurial spirit to grow these challenger brands.

Ronny is the Chief Marketing Officer at Waya, a US Fintech company dedicated to transforming financial inclusion in underserved communities. At Waya, Ronny leads marketing and growth strategies that leverage technology to create digital accessible and impactful financial services.

Ronny has held various senior marketing and management roles across different industries, giving him a broad perspective on building brands and driving growth. His career spans emerging markets, where he has led impactful initiatives that harness technology to address complex challenges and scale businesses effectively.

Outside of work, Ronny is an avid supporter of Red Bull Racing in F1, with a particular interest in F1 technologies. He’s also a part-time karting amateur racer, enjoying the thrill of competitive driving whenever he can.

Samuel Weru is an experienced and seasoned ICT professional with over 20 years’ experience in senior management and overseeing regional and global operations. This covers strategic management, leadership, financial management, project management, operations management, change management processes and resource mobilization/ funding for operational and strategic ICT investments. He is also well experienced in corporate governance. He is bold in decision making and strongly subscribe to his core values of Integrity, Excellence, Stewardship, Dignity and Respect for Diversity.

His leadership journey started as the ICT Manager in a UK based NGO based in Nairobi. He moved to OXFM GB as the Regional Information Systems Manager, overseeing the ICT operations across the Horn, East and Central Africa Region. It was in this role that his leadership journey took an upward trajectory to not only lead ICT function but to double up as the Somalia Country Director. This added to his broad understanding of the correlation between Organisational capability and Strategic ICT.

Samuel Weru is currently the Group ICT Director (CIO) at Amref Health Africa overseeing the global ICT operations in Africa, Europe and North America Offices. He has transformed the organisation from being a country-centred operation to a fully integrated organisation across the group using Technology, overseeing a budget of over 2 million dollars annually (exclusive of ICT projects budget). The agility and efficiency of systems has contributed to the growth of the organisation from about 70 million to over 250 million dollars in the last 5 years. These include a setting up a fully integrated ERP, global CRM and integrated data analytics and visualization tools. He oversees a head count of 40 staff.

Serkan Girgin graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering from Sabanci University. He has over 20 years of experience in both B2C and B2B marketing. Before joining Google in 2012, he held commercial and marketing management roles at international brands such as Lipton, Pepsi, and Danone. At Google Turkiye, he worked on digital transformation initiatives and the development of the digital marketing ecosystem. In 2018, he took on the leadership of Google`s Ads Marketing programs for the EMEA region. Since September 2023, he has been leading Google`s marketing operations in Turkiye.

As a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience leading world-renowned brands such as Lifebuoy, Dove, Special K, and Elvie, I am currently the CEO of Forevermark at De Beers, overseeing global operations with a strategic focus on India, China, and the US. My career has afforded me the opportunity to work and reside in diverse markets including Mumbai, London, and Paris, and across varied categories from beauty and personal care to food, beverages, femtech health, and now luxury jewelry.

At De Beers, I am responsible for the P&L and all operational aspects of the Forevermark business unit, including marketing, design, operations, retail, training and visual merchandising. I also drive category development in India and oversee diamond certification services globally, leading the expansion and commercial growth of the Institute of Diamonds.

Previously, at Elvie, I transformed both brand and sales functions on a global scale, covering all aspects of brand building—from equity and architecture to omni-channel campaigns, social media, PR, digital platforms, influencer marketing, and CRM. On the commercial front, I led growth teams across performance marketing, e-commerce, trade marketing, D2C, indirect sales, and product development for website and app-based products.

My prior roles in CPG at Unilever, Kellogg, and Danone involved managing some of the most prominent brands within various organizational structures. These experiences have equipped me with robust leadership and stakeholder management skills. As CMO for Evian, I spearheaded innovations and activations that integrated sustainability with desirability, enhancing brand preference and premium positioning. I established a “Culture Team” to bridge PR, social media, and influencer engagements, collaborating with notable figures such as Dua Lipa, Maria Sharapova, and Virgil Abloh to inject cultural relevance into the brand.

My career focus has been on building strong brand love and purpose, enhancing direct-to-consumer businesses, and nurturing exceptional talent.

In addition to my executive role, I serve as a Non-Executive Director for Neue Water and Punchy Drinks, am on the advisory board for Sizzle Sustainability, and am a faculty member for sustainability marketing at Imperial College, London.

Sian is a brand and creative leader with a career spanning over 25 years. Her journey in the creative industry began in renowned creative agencies, where she honed her skills and developed a keen eye for innovative brand and creative strategies. Over the last decade, Sian has brought her expertise to EY, where she has made significant contributions to the firm`s global brand presence.

With a wealth of experience in building compelling global brands and strategies, Sian has successfully navigated both B2C and B2B industries. Her strategic vision and creative prowess have resulted in numerous award-winning integrated campaigns that have set new benchmarks in the industry.

Currently, Sian serves as EY’s Global Brand Strategy and Creative Director. In this role, she leads multicultural and cross-functional teams, driving brand initiatives in highly complex environments. Her leadership is characterized by a passion for creativity and a strategic approach that inspires her teams to achieve excellence.

Tanya Leedekerken has spent her career leading marketing for powerhouse brands like MTV, ELLE and now Amazon Music, where she leads marketing overseeing brand, social, growth and strategic partnerships for EU & ANZ. Tanya mixes her love of pop culture with a global perspective on growing businesses in the entertainment, technology and culture space. Her professional journey brought her from Amsterdam to NYC and London where she currently lives with her husband and son.

Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Innovation at Natura Tatiana Ponce is the Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Innovation at Natura, responsible for the innovation team for brands and products in personal care, skincare, makeup, fragrance, among other categories. She also leads the global management of Natura`s Research and Development area. Before joining Natura &Co Latin America, she was part of the German group Beiersdorf, owner of the brands Nivea, Eucerin, and La Prairie, where she held the position of Vice President of Marketing for emerging markets, in addition to sales and marketing director roles over 11 years. With over 25 years of experience in marketing, media and communication, digital, and sales, Tatiana has also worked at Boticário, Colgate Palmolive, and the multi-brand group Reckitt. Her projects have been internationally recognized by the Cannes Lions Festival, Digital Prix, Effie, and Clio. She holds a degree in Marketing from Universidade Anhembi Morumbi and an MBA from Ibmec.

As a former managing broker and REALTOR®, Trevor Koot’s nearly two decades in organized real estate gives him hands-on expertise in understanding the profession’s needs. Before stepping in as CEO at the BC Real Estate Association, he served as CEO of Kamloops and District Real Estate Association for four years and Kootenay Association of REALTORS® for three before successfully merging the two into the Association of Interior REALTORS®.

Trevor’s leadership in the real estate sector began long before his CEO career when he was Chair of the Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission for five years. He played a key role in redrafting provincial real estate regulations during his tenure. Trevor also served two years as Chair of the Governance Committee at the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials. He holds multiple degrees, from a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a minor in Mathematics through the University of Saskatchewan to a Master of Business Administration degree through Royal Roads University. Trevor is adding to his extensive education through his current pursuit of completing a Master of Laws degree at York University. His daughter, Abby, attends the University of Victoria while he and his wife, Jill, live in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Vanessa Mosbacker is a distinguished marketing executive renowned for transforming and scaling brands in the technology sector. Vanessa served as VP, Brand at Globalization Partners directing a team of more than 35, leading the company’s global brand strategy, visual identity, website, SEO and product and brand campaigns. Her strategic acumen and innovative leadership were instrumental in positioning Globalization Partners prominently in the competitive market.

Vanessa also held several leadership roles at Logitech, where she spearheaded global brand strategies and campaign management across Logitech’s master brands. Her tenure at Twitter as Head of Campaign Management and Skype involved setting strategic vision across various U.S. marketing categories, enhancing brand engagement and campaign effectiveness. Her career began at Publicis, managing major accounts such as LG and PayPal, and quickly rose through the ranks due to her adept skills in digital and integrated marketing strategies. Vanessa’s outstanding contributions to marketing have been recognized with multiple awards, including Webby Honorees and SFBIG Awards for her innovative campaigns at Skype.

Currently, Vanessa is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Cyrannus, a game-changing venture polling platform leveraging collective intelligence to evaluate early-stage startups and provide a prediction market for accredited investors. At Cyrannus, she leverages proprietary technology to create predictive data that reduces investment risks and enhances returns. Additionally, she is the founder of Kratix and co-founder of CAPRICA AI, further showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and expertise in the startup domain.

Wendy Fitch is a dynamic leader known for blending creative innovation with strategic insight to transform brands and foster growth. As Vice President of Brand, Content, and Insights at H&R Block, she spearheads initiatives that elevate brand reputation and customer-centricity. Her notable achievements include launching the “It’s Better with Block” campaign featuring Max the Taxcot, which doubled site visits and boosted brand consideration by 30%. Wendy also modernized H&R Block’s customer insights function, creating The Insights Engine to democratize customer knowledge, and championed A Fair Shot, a program advancing equity in NIL deals for female athletes.

Before joining H&R Block, Wendy served as Vice President at Barkley Public Relations, where she led major accounts like the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day, which raised over $800 million, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream, where she launched the brand’s first national consumer media relations program.

A proud University of Nebraska alumna, Wendy applies her Midwestern values to both work and life. Outside the office, she enjoys cheering on her children at soccer and softball games, organizing (and participating in) theme parties, and spending summer weekends at Lake of the Ozarks.

Wendy’s personal motto, “Work hard and be nice to people,” reflects her approach to every endeavor.