Thought Leadership

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Competing on Social Purpose

Responding to consumers’ expectations on social impact

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The Best-Performing CEOs in the World

Steadiness and stability characterize the top CEOs

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How Women Manage Gendered Norms

Based on interviews with 64 female executives

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Do Your D&I Efforts Include People with Disabilities?

This aspect of D&I is too often neglected

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Turning an Indian Beer into a Global Brand

Cobra’s Chairman discusses vision, flexibility, and integrity

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CEOs Need Mentors
Too

How new CEOs gain access to seasoned counsel

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Competing on Social Purpose

Responding to consumers’ expectations on social impact

Read Article

The Best-Performing CEOs in the World

Steadiness and stability characterize the top CEOs

Read Article

How Women Manage Gendered Norms

Based on interviews with 64 female executives

Read Article

Creating a Culture of Curiosity

SurveyMonkey’s CEO on taking the helm after tragedy

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Turning an Indian Beer into a Global Brand

Cobra’s Chairman discusses vision & flexibility

Read Article

CEOs Need Mentors
Too

How new CEOs gain access to seasoned counsel

Read Article

Larry Gulko

Brand Strategist and Executive Coach

Larry is a brand architect and strategist, executive coach, and growth advisor with a track record for positioning an eclectic range of brands to compete more effectively in today’s rapidly evolving and ever-changing business landscape.

He founded and moderates the annual CEO Brand Leadership Roundtable with the Harvard Business School Association of Boston, now celebrating its 12th year. This popular program has showcased over 50 CEOs of iconic and leading brands including Dunkin’ Brands, Keurig, Ritz- Carlton, NBC Sports, Harley-Davidson, PGA of America, Girl Scouts, Joseph Abboud, Zumba, Talbots, Newman’s Own, TaylorMade Golf, Life is good. The Fireside Chat event has featured Hall of Fame PGA Golfer and Entrepreneur Greg Norman, and Ed Bastion, CEO, Delta Air Lines.

Larry created BRAND: NEW DAY, the only one-day brand building and idea exchange retreat experience designed exclusively for an individual company’s senior leadership team looking to take a fresh look at their brand and determined to take it to the next level. This one-of-a-kind company focused program is based on a proven concept originally created in tandem with the Disney Institute. Under the BRAND: NEW DAY umbrella is Brand Dive, an immersive C-Level thought leadership roundtable emulating an open-enrollment idea exchange with peers.

He and Roger Berkowitz, CEO of Legal Sea Foods, host Name Brands, CBS Boston. This insightful and entertaining brand leadership podcast show features in-studio conversations with iconic brands and CEOs who share their insight to build best-selling brands, dominate categories, and drive brand performance and business growth.

For 20 years, Larry’s advertising and brand consultancy agency, Gulko & Company, launched over 25 brands for the Fortune 500, middle-market companies, entrepreneurial ventures, and non-profits.

A sought-after thought leader, he has delivered numerous keynotes, commencement addresses, is a MassChallenge business mentor and judge and has lectured at the Babson College Graduate School of Business and Executive Education Program.

Larry is an advisor to the C-level community and has served on boards and committees including Babson Advisory Council, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, The American Marketing Association, Gifting Brands, The George Washington University, and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Ed Bastian

CEO Delta Airlines

As CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian leads a team of 90,000 global professionals that is building the world’s premier international airline, powered by a people-driven, customer-focused culture and spirit of innovation.

A 20-year Delta veteran, Ed has been a critical leader in Delta’s long-term strategy and champion of putting Delta’s shared values of honesty, integrity, respect, perseverance and servant leadership at the core of every decision.

Since being named Delta’s CEO in May 2016, Ed has expanded Delta’s leading position as the world’s most reliable airline while growing its global footprint and enhancing the customer experience in the air and on the ground. During his tenure as CEO, Delta has become the world’s most awarded airline, having been named the Wall Street Journal’s top U.S. airline; Fortune’s most admired airline worldwide; the most on-time global airline by FlightGlobal; a Glassdoor Employee’s Choice company and more. Delta has returned to sustained profitability, regaining its investment-grade credit rating with all three major ratings agencies and paying out more than $1 billion in profit-sharing to employees every year over the past four years. In 2018, Fortune magazine named Ed among “The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” and in 2019, he was elected to the membership of the Council on Foreign Relations.

When asked to sum up his job in five words, Ed’s response is: “Taking care of our people.” The answer reflects his leadership philosophy, which is based on the “virtuous circle” – if you take care of your people, they take care of your customers, whose business and loyalty allows you to reward your investors.

Ed joined Delta in 1998 as Vice President – Finance and Controller and was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2000. He left Delta in 2005 and became Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Acuity Brands. He returned to Delta six months later to become Chief Financial Officer, and in 2007 was appointed to serve as Delta’s President.

Prior to joining Delta, Ed held senior finance positions at Frito-Lay International and Pepsi-Cola International. Ed started his career with Price Waterhouse where he became an audit partner in its New York practice.

Ed grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He lives in Atlanta, and is deeply involved in his faith, family and community.

Follow Ed on LinkedIn and Instagram for his thoughts on leadership, culture, aviation and more.

David Heath

CEO, Bombas

David Heath is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bombas. Prior to the launch in 2013, David dedicated two years to rigorous product testing and refinement to create the best performing and most comfortable sock available, while staying true to their mission of helping those in need.

David holds a BA from Babson College with majors in Marketing, Management, and Entrepreneurship. Previously, he led business development as one of the founding employees at UrbanDaddy followed by joining the new media acquisitions and strategy team at Yucaipa Companies. As a true serial entrepreneur, David has founded three companies, with one successful exit, and has invested and consulted on a range of start-up businesses from concept, through launch and continued growth.

David has been featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, NBC TODAY Show, CBS This Morning, ABC Good Morning America, Bloomberg TV and in The New York Times, and was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017.

Douglas Prothero

CEO, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Douglas Prothero is the Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Mr. Prothero was educated in Maritime Studies and has been a ship master since 1989. He has over 35 years of professional experience in the marine industry, including running all facets of maritime businesses involving both commercial vessels and private yachts.

An experienced entrepreneur, Mr. Prothero has founded numerous enterprises with lead responsibility for product development, ship design, construction and marine operations. Mr. Prothero established an extensive professional network through his work advising financing sources and ship owners while Partner at a boutique investment bank.

Until recently he served as Chairman of the Nobel nominated organization Sail Training International and their for-profit trading companies. The position involved significant industry relations with the International Maritime Organization, Nautical Institute, the International Chamber of Shipping and ports worldwide.

John Stephans

CEO, Avedis Zildjian Company

John joined Zildjian in 2017 and is responsible for the overall strategic direction and performance of the company’s worldwide operations.

The Zildjian Company has been synonymous with setting the standard for the development and manufacture of high performance musical instruments since 1623.

As the world’s leading maker of cymbals, drum sticks and percussion mallets, Zildjian products are sold across the globe, under the Zildjian, Vic Firth and Balter brands, and are the standard to which all other cymbals, drumsticks and mallets are measured. From the beginner to the world’s greatest rock stars, jazz performers and concert percussionists, amateurs and pros alike chose Zildjian products to allow them to experience and share the joy of music.

Zildjian Company he world’s largest producer of cymbals and drumsticks and the oldest family business in the United States. Founded in 1623, the company is currently owned by the 14^thand 15^th generations of Zildjian family.

In addition, John works closely with the Zildjian family to ensure alignment of the company’s goals with that of ownership. Under John’s leadership the company fully integrated operations from its acquisition of the Vic Firth Company, strengthened its leadership team and has driven increased new product activity which has resulted in the company exceeding current industry growth trends.

Prior to joining Zildjian, John was CEO of IdeaPaint, the inventor of the dry erase paint category, where he and his team reversed negative sales trends to grow the business over 50%. Prior to IdeaPaint, John held senior management positions at Ocean Spray and at Gillette. Prior to embarking on a business career, John spent time on athletic fields across the northeast as college lacrosse coach.

John received his BA from Clark University and his MBA from Babson College. He lives in eastern Massachusetts with his wife Kate and two boys.

David Kahan

CEO, Birkenstock Americas

Kahan joined Birkenstock in 2013 and has led the resurgence of the brand in the U.S. market. The U.S. business has grown 10x under his management and Birkenstock was named Brand of the Year by Footwear News in 2013 and 2017 and Company of the year by the AAFA in 2019. He is responsible for all business operations throughout the Americas region.

Kahan brings over 25 years of experience in the footwear industry to Birkenstock. He began his career on the shoe floor at Macy’s and became the department store’s first ever Athletic Footwear Buyer. He then spent 12 years at Nike and rose in their sales organization eventually managing the Strategic Accounts group.

After Nike, Kahan became Head of North America at Reebok and was part of the management group that led Reebok to be acquired by Adidas.

He has also held senior leadership roles at Fila and Rockport. Prior to joining Birkenstock, he served as President of the footwear division for ENK International – a leader in fashion events and trade shows.

John Burns

CEO, TB12

John currently serves as CEO of TB12, Tom Brady’s performance lifestyle brand.

He has enjoyed a successful career in executive leadership and venture capital. His experience spans 20+ years, the majority of which has been in the consumer sector. With a strong passion for entrepreneurship, John has served as CEO of four emerging consumer brands.

While his business ventures span the consumer sector, John has a particular interest in health, wellness, sports and fitness. He currently serves on the Boards of TB12, Spartan Race, Oath Pizza, EverybodyFights, and Grillos Pickles.

John received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his M.B.A. from Babson college.