Chicago

Thursday, May 7, 2026

RUNNING TO THE FIRE

The Marketing Vanguard Summit convenes CMOs, CEOs, and other senior leaders from some of the world’s most innovative and influential brands—alongside cultural icons, emerging leaders, and thinkers from academia—to confront the moments of tension, ambiguity, and change in this industry, collectively shaping the future of the role and practice.

Held at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Gleacher Center on May 7, the Summit challenges marketing leaders to embrace discomfort and build the muscles required to lead at the highest level: forging deeper CEO alignment, owning the metrics that truly matter to the business, and creating brands worthy of sustained attention, trust, and investment. Through candid dialogue, debate, and practical insight, we’ll explore how CMOs are stepping into complexity—across growth, culture, technology, and transformation—to solidify marketing’s position as an indispensable driver of enterprise value.

Provocateurs

More to be announced soon

Lina Polimeni
Lina Polimeni
SVP, Chief Marketing Officer - Consumer
Eli Lilly and Company
Kati Pratt
Kati Pratt
CMO
Purdue Global
Anand Rao
Anand Rao
CMO
CDW
Phyllis Rothschild
Phyllis Rothschild
CMO
Pete and Gerry's
Thomas Ranese
Thomas Ranese
CMO
Intuit
Anna Roberts
Anna Roberts
Senior Manager of MothWorks
The Moth
Jenny Rooney
Jenny Rooney
Chief Brand and Community Officer
ADWEEK
Zoë Ruderman
Zoë Ruderman
Chief Content Officer
ADWEEK
Maggie Schmerin
Maggie Schmerin
Chief Advertising Officer
United Airlines
Christie Sclater
Christie Sclater
SVP of Global Marketing
Clinique
Ed See
Ed See
Chief Growth Officer
Zeta Global
Pri Shumate
Pri Shumate
Founder & CEO
Slipstream