Executive Marketer Summit

CEO
AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION
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AWARD-WINNING MARKETER, CULTURAL TRANSLATOR, PROFESSOR AND
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
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CHIEF BRAND OFFICER
e.l.f. BEAUTY
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CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER
UNUM
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CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER
THE CENTER FOR ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, A WORKPLACE OPTIONS COMPANY
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Identify the early insights, weak signals, and data trends that marketers must track to stay ahead of emerging disruptions
Examine how macro forces—AI evolution, data privacy shifts, societal change, and sustainability mandates—will reshape marketing ecosystems
Equip your teams and organizations with adaptive networks, scenario planning tools, and decision frameworks that enable agility, resilience, and ethical foresight
Learn from cross-industry case studies where organizations successfully pivoted before disruption struck

Dissect internal and external drivers of risk, including competitive dynamics, innovation demands, brand purpose, and organizational change
Explore the psychology and structure of bold decision-making: how to turn uncertainty into innovation and setbacks into learning
Unpack real-world examples of marketing disruptors that sparked growth, and the cultural conditions that enabled it
Understand what blocks courageous action inside organizations and build playbooks for overcoming inertia
Examine how to build risk-tolerant cultures and gain executive or board-level sponsorship for bold moves

Strengthen your influence and credibility as a marketing leader navigating transformation
Apply scenario planning, risk assessment, and communication strategies to drive alignment across finance, tech, and operations
Build narratives that connect marketing’s strategic value to enterprise risk, revenue, and brand resilience
Learn to “market internally” with the same precision used externally—using storytelling, data visualization, and financial fluency to lead with authority
Gain tools for managing transformation fatigue and galvanizing teams through uncertainty

"Loved seeing marketers from all kinds of industries come together. It was so refreshing to realize we're all tackling the same challenges, just in different settings. And that moment when everyone admitted they're still figuring out this whole AI thing? Priceless! Made me feel way less alone in my marketing struggles. Definitely worth every minute spent there, and I've already got some new connections who get exactly what I'm dealing with day-to-day."

Diane Meyer, Founder & President, Her-On

9:15 a.m. The Discipline of Innovation — Leading Marketing Through Tech Disruption

Technology is evolving faster than most marketing organizations can adapt. The challenge isn’t spotting the next big thing—it’s deciding what deserves your focus. In this conversation among marketing, experience, and growth executives, panelists will explore how they’re building disciplined decision frameworks that balance innovation with risk, ensuring every investment in martech and AI ladders to business value, not experimentation for its own sake.

They’ll share how data governance and ethical standards are evolving as part of brand trust strategy, and what it takes to lead teams that can flex and respond as the technology horizon keeps shifting.

1:15 p.m. From Signals to Strategy — How Leaders Are Responding to Market Disruption

Disruption today isn’t just technological—it’s cultural, social, and geopolitical. From shifting consumer values and polarizing social landscapes to supply chain instability and the redefinition of brand purpose, marketing leaders face a marketplace that’s being rewritten in real time.

In this conversation among CMOs, brand, and growth executives, panelists will explore how they’re reimagining their categories, sustaining brand trust through volatility, and balancing short-term performance with long-term relevance. The discussion will uncover how forward-looking brands are reading the macro forces shaping demand and rebuilding marketing playbooks that adapt as fast as the world changes.

3:30 p.m. The Human Side of Disruption — Redefining Marketing Talent for the Future

Examine cultural, social, and geopolitical shifts reshaping markets, brand trust, and consumer expectations. Highlight how leaders are reinventing category positions and sustaining long-term relevance amid volatility.

As marketing transforms, so do the people behind it. New technologies, hybrid models, and evolving expectations are redefining what it means to build—and sustain—a high-performing marketing organization. In this conversation among CMOs and marketing leaders, panelists will explore how they’re recruiting and upskilling talent in the age of AI, designing teams that thrive across in-person and virtual collaboration, and protecting mental health and inclusion as strategic imperatives—not side initiatives.

The discussion will also tackle how leaders are fostering organizational resilience: creating cultures that can adapt, learn, and stay connected through disruption.

10:00 a.m. The Power to Influence — Leading Change Across the C-Suite

In times of disruption, marketing leaders can’t simply adapt—they must galvanize. This conversation explores how marketing earns its voice at the center of enterprise transformation. Panelists will share how they build alignment across the C-suite, translate marketing impact into business language, and use influence—not authority—to move organizations forward.

Drawing from real-world experience and change-management frameworks, they’ll unpack how internal influence is cultivated: through credibility, storytelling, and the ability to connect brand strategy to financial, operational, and cultural outcomes.

Or call (312) 542-3431 and reference American Marketing Association Executive Marketer Summit.

The reservation cut-off date is April 15, 2026, or when rooms sell out.

Hotel reservations must be canceled 24 hours prior to arrival to avoid a one-night room and tax charge.

Please note that hotel rooms booked outside the AMA negotiated block may not be eligible for the discounted rate. Those reservations may also have a different cancellation policy and will not be eligible for reimbursement in the case of event cancellation.

While we recognize the potential for business collaborations within our network, it is paramount that the Executive Marketer Summit remains a confidential and trusted environment for all participants.

We enforce a stringent non-solicitation policy, prohibiting any form of proactive sales or marketing efforts, as well as solicitation of goods or services intended to generate future business among Executive Marketer Summit attendees. This includes overt, indirect, and implied solicitations, unless expressly invited to do so. Spamming, such as posting repetitive or multiple variations of content, is strictly prohibited.

WHAT CAN I DO WHILE VISITING CHICAGO?

Explore local attractions, dining, and experiences through The Blackstone’s Experiences page.
For additional destination information, visit Choose Chicago. which offers details on events, neighborhoods, and travel tips.
Information about accessibility around the city is also available on Choose Chicago’s Accessibility in Chicago page.
To get around, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) provides convenient bus and train service throughout the city.

HOW DO I REQUEST ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS?

The AMA is committed to providing equal access to our meetings for all attendees. If you are an attendee with a disability and require program accommodations, please contact the AMA Support Center at (800) AMA-1150. A member of our staff will ensure that appropriate access arrangements are made. If you have specific disability-related needs for your hotel sleeping room, please be sure to communicate those directly to the hotel when you make your reservation. In an effort to provide the highest quality of service to all attendees, we require that details of all access requests be communicated to our office at least 14 days in advance of the beginning of the meeting.