What happens when companies chase metrics instead of meaning? Former Nike marketing leader Lisel Welden shares powerful insights from her decade-long journey shaping iconic brands like Nike, Lyft, and Stitch Fix.

Drawing from her experience leading Nike's first unified Black History Month campaign across all business units, Welden reveals how authentic leadership and cross-functional collaboration can drive both business results and social impact. She breaks down why Nike's recent shift toward becoming a "tech company" created unexpected challenges, and shares practical wisdom on balancing data with human insight.

Key takeaways:

• Understanding what truly drives your business
• The difference between being data-supported versus data-driven, and why blindly following metrics can lead organizations astray
• How to build diverse, high-performing teams by matching people's natural strengths to their roles
• Creating success for others as the foundation for meaningful cross-functional collaboration

Whether you're a marketing leader looking to drive brand growth or a manager aiming to build stronger teams, this conversation offers practical frameworks for leading with purpose while delivering results.

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How does a tech company turn a simple sound into one of the world's most recognizable audio marks - second only to a baby crying? Former Intel Global Brand Director Merlin Kister reveals the strategic thinking behind Intel's most iconic brand elements during his nearly two-decade tenure.

From simplifying product naming with the Core i3/i5/i7 system to creating Intel Gamer Days - an experiential event that expanded globally - Kister shares practical insights on aligning brand decisions with business objectives. He unpacks how Intel maintained its brand leadership even as competitors emerged, through initiatives like the Intel Inside program and strategic partnerships with PC manufacturers.

Key topics covered:

• How Intel simplified its product architecture to help consumers make better purchasing decisions
• The business strategy behind the famous Intel sonic brand and Intel Inside program
• Creating meaningful brand experiences through partnerships with the Olympics, NFL and gaming community
• Building trust with technical audiences while maintaining broad consumer appeal
• Balancing short-term sales goals with long-term brand equity

Kister provides a masterclass in connecting brand initiatives to revenue and profitability while never losing sight of the end user experience.

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What if you could completely reinvent higher education from the ground up? While most universities still follow a centuries-old model of lectures and tests, Minerva Project has created a radical new approach to learning that's challenging the status quo of higher education.

Ayo Seligman, VP of Strategy and Design at Minerva Project, shares how this innovative organization built both a university and a technology platform that's transforming how students learn. From removing tenure track positions to creating a global rotation across seven cities, Minerva threw out the traditional playbook to focus on skills-based learning and practical application.

Learn how Minerva positioned itself as a luxury education brand while disrupting entrenched Ivy League institutions, why their approach to learning through "deliberate spaced practice" could revolutionize corporate training, and how they designed their brand identity to reflect perfect imperfection. For brand leaders interested in driving transformation and innovation, Minerva's story offers valuable insights on building a challenger brand in a traditional industry.

Key topics:

• How Minerva rebuilt education using first principles thinking
• Creating a global learning experience across seven world cities
• Positioning an education startup against 200-year-old institutions
• Using learning science to transform how organizations train and develop talent
• Building a brand that appeals to unconventional thinkers
• The intersection of technology, education, and brand strategy

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