The 2025 Future of Marketing Leadership Conference

10:00am - 10:50am
OPENING REMARKS AND HOUSEKEEPING

Gordon McLean
President & CEO
ANA Educational Foundation (AEF)

Oded Netzer
Vice Dean for Research & Arthur J. Samberg Professor of Business
Columbia Business School

Bob Liodice
CEO, ANA

Matthew Quint
Director, Center on Global Brand Leadership, Columbia Business School

10:50am - 11:25am
YOU’RE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR TEAM

In today’s dynamic and competitive landscape, and at a time when the demands of marketing are evolving, a high performing marketing team is a cornerstone of success for an organization and a Marketing Leader.  Developing high performers and building high performing teams has never been easy. The changing demographics of the workforce alongside the different expectations and needs of employees and employers, are adding a new layer of consideration. Through personal experience, real-world examples and actionable insights this session will explore what’s important to elevate performance and unlock potential whether you are leading a marketing team or working within one.

Alex Craddock
Chief Marketing and Content Officer, Citi

11:25am - 12:00pm
THE FUTURE OF MARKETING IS NOW: HOW AI IS FUELING INNOVATION, GROWTH, AND POSSIBILITY

Join Sadie Thoma, Director, Ads Marketing at Google, as she showcases some of Google’s groundbreaking AI innovations – from advancements in quantum computing to Gemini 2.0. Discover how Google is putting these powerful AI technologies in the hands of billions, transforming the consumer experience and revolutionizing the world of marketing.

Sadie Thoma
Director, Americas Ads Marketing
Google

12:00pm - 12:35pm
FROM ZERO TO #1: THE STORY OF EOS BODY LOTION AND THE POWER OF CREATVITY, INCLUSION, AND COMMUNITY

In this keynote presentation, discover how eos transformed its body lotion from a fledgling product to the #1 fastest growing body lotion in the mass market. Through a blend of bold creativity, unwavering commitment to inclusion, and deep engagement with their community, eos challenged industry norms and redefined what it means to connect with consumers.

Join us as we unveil the story behind eos' rise, sharing the pivotal moments, campaigns, and insights that shaped the journey. From embracing customer feedback through viral social media strategies to pioneering innovative product solutions, this session will highlight how fostering a spirit of authenticity and collaboration can drive explosive growth.

Soyoung Kang
CMO, eos

1:50pm - 2:25pm
THE FUTURE OF OMNICHANNEL MARKETING

Omnichannel marketing is critical to reach the ever-changing consumer where they are across multiple platforms in line with their own preferences and needs.  In this session, you will learn actionable strategies and key insights on how to leverage data and analytics while maximizing your ROI and content strategy through an omnichannel approach.  Panelists will share ways to integrate data sources and leverage analytics tools to ensure that each interaction is interconnected, creating a consistent and cohesive customer journey.

Moderator: Bernd Schmitt
Robert D. Calkins Professor of International Business
Columbia Business School

Panelists:

April Denn
VP, Ad Sales, A+E Networks

Emily Culp '03
Chief Strategy and Brand Officer, BodyHealth

Sheila Holman
Vice President, Marketing, United States Postal Service

2:25pm - 3:00pm
SUSTAINABLE TALENT PIPELINES

Marketing faces numerous challenges not the least of which are how to attract, retain, and engage quality talent. Join Jerusha Harvey, SVP of Marketing Capabilities, ANA as she talks with brand leaders about the strategies they are implementing to ensure their talent stays ahead of the curve on AI, dazzles with stand-out creative, and fosters real growth for their organizations.

Moderator: Jerusha Harvey
SVP Marketing Capabilities, ANA

Heather Strickland
Director of Global Marketer Learning, American Express

Florian Péquignot
Vice President Human Resources – Global Brand Building, Procter & Gamble

Lisa Gottardo
Executive Director of Employer Relations, Columbia Business School

3:25pm - 4:05pm
BECOMING A ZERO-WASTE MARKETER: SUSTAINABILITY FROM PERSONAL TO PROFESSIONAL TO THE PLANET

Sustainability is more than just keeping plastics out of the ocean or preserving wildlife habitats (although those are certainly important).  In fact, sustainability requires an equal focus on environmental, economic and social factors.  Marketers can play a critical role in driving change but need to start by looking inward.  Consider that the greenhouse gas emissions from digital advertising are comparable to those of the aviation industry.  Careless marketing not only pollutes the consumer landscape but actually harms the planet.  In this session, we will explore how marketers can impact the world we share by taking a zero-waste approach to their professional activity, and how sustainability starts with a personal commitment to creativity, learning and growth.

Dan Dipiazzo
Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, Georgia Aquarium

4:00pm - 4:35pm
THE LEGO GROUP: BUILDING THE FUTURE BRICK BY BRICK

Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, will explore the dynamic strategies that have kept the LEGO Group at the forefront of the industry. She will discuss the brand has maintained its relevance through continuous innovation and creative storytelling. Julia will highlight its approach to engage new audiences by embracing digital transformation and inclusivity, ensuring that the brand resonates with both traditional fans and a new generation of builders. She will also delve into the transformation of LEGO's marketing model, showcasing how data-driven insights and personalised experiences has enhanced customer engagement and brand loyalty. Join Julia Goldin as she shares valuable lessons and forward-thinking strategies that illustrate LEGO's journey in evolving its iconic brand while staying true to its core values.

Julia Goldin
Chief Product & Marketing Officer, The LEGO Group

9:30am - 9:45am 
WELCOME REMARKS & HOUSEKEEPING

Matthew Quint
Director, Center on Global Brand Leadership, Columbia Business School

9:45am - 10:20am 
DATA AND AI TAKE FLIGHT: REVOLUTIONIZING MARKETING AND OPERATIONS FOR TOMORROW

Learn how Delta Air Lines is harnessing the power of data and AI to revolutionize marketing strategies, elevate customer experiences, and streamline operations. This session will showcase real-world examples of how Delta’s investment in cutting-edge technology and data-driven decision-making is driving innovation, resilience, and success. Gain insights into how these strategies are shaping the future of aviation and discover actionable takeaways to inspire transformation within your own organization.

Alicia Tillman
Chief Marketing Officer, Delta

10:20am - 10:55am 
THE FUTURE OF MARTECH LEADERSHIP

The future of marketing will depend on a brand’s ability to drive growth through investments in technology, data and generative artificial intelligence. However, MarTech is currently facing a significant talent shortage at every level.  How do we ensure our current teams are equipped to realize the business-building potential of the new technologies, and how do we as an industry come together to develop a robust and diverse next generation of MarTech leaders?  In this session, a leading professor and top marketers come together to share their experience on how to develop powerful MarTech teams, build new marketing capabilities, and create career paths that lead to personal and professional growth.  

Moderator: Prof. Miklos Sarvary
Carson Family Professor of Business, Columbia Business School

Panelists:

Harry Kargman
Founder & CEO, Kargo

Joseph Prota
Global Director of Brand Marketing, IBM

Obioma (Oby) Enyia
Head of North America Consumer Connections and Media, The Coca-Cola Company

11:15pm - 11:50pm 
STORYTELLING IN THE AGE OF AI

The world of Marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and the deeper introduction of AI is presenting tremendous opportunities and risks. So how can we think about the role that AI will play in Storytelling moving forward and how can we remain relevant. We think it will be like a beautiful Tango… AI (artificial intelligence) meets HI (human Intelligence) and their partnership will produce phenomenal results. We will take a peek into examples where this is already happening and discuss how both AI and HI are absolutely critical to success.

Manos Spanos
Chief Commercial Officer, Sunny Sky Products

11:50pm - 12:25pm 
HOW TODAY’S MARTECH LEADERS ARE TACKLING THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES AND DRIVING INNOVATION IN THE MODERN MARKETING ENVIRONMENT

This panel will explore the critical challenges that are consuming the attention of marketing technology & operations leaders today, including rapidly increasing market complexity, talent shortages, data privacy laws, and tightening budgets.  They will share the strategies they are using to overcome these challenges to get the most value and performance from their MarTech stacks, and they will discuss the opportunities and innovations they are pursuing to take their MarTech games to the next level, such as generative AI, composable architectures and evolving data operations capabilities.  Attendees will discover key insights to conquer these challenges and to level up their own MarTech strategies.

Moderator: John Hardy
SVP, MarTech, ANA

Michael Fox
Sr. Director, Marketing Transformation, Media & Marketing Effectiveness, Verizon

Matt Silver
Head of Marketing Technology, Barclays USCB

Chi Ogbuehi
Vice President, Marketing Technology & Consumer Products, NFL