CNBC Evolve Summit: Transforming Companies for the Future

In an era of rapid technological advances and demographic change, how do legacy companies adapt, innovate and evolve?

CNBC Evolve features iconic global companies and executives who are embracing change and transforming for the future.

Featuring best-in class CEOs and innovators in conversation with CNBC anchors and reporters, this event provides a forum for companies to share strategies, tactics and lessons learned in a peer-to-peer environment.

Attendees will walk away with an understanding of how businesses and brands can evolve and win in an age of disruption.

Learn more about our past events

FEATURED GUESTS

Arvind Krishna

Arvind Krishna is Chief Executive Officer of IBM. As a business leader and technologist, he has led the building and expansion of new markets for IBM in artificial intelligence, cloud, quantum computing, and blockchain. He has also played a significant role in the development of innovative IBM products and solutions based on these emerging technologies.

Over his 30-year career at IBM, Arvind led a series of bold transformations and delivered proven business results. He most recently drove the successful $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat – the largest software acquisition – that has defined the hybrid cloud market. Together, IBM and Red Hat give clients the unique ability to build mission-critical applications once and run them anywhere.

Arvind previously was Senior Vice President of Cloud and Cognitive Software, where he pioneered the company’s hybrid cloud business, transformed IBM’s entire software and services portfolio and offerings for cloud, and grew the business. He also headed IBM Research, where he drove innovation in core and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain, cloud platform services, data-driven solutions, and nanotechnology. In 2016, Wired magazine selected Arvind as “one of 25 geniuses who are creating the future of business” for his foundational work on blockchain.

As general manager of IBM Systems and Technology Group’s development and manufacturing organization, Arvind led the strategy for data-centric systems and the widespread industry adoption of open and collaborative technology standards. He also grew the IBM Information Management business by 50 percent.

At IBM, Arvind has been an outspoken advocate for learning at every stage of one’s career. He has made scientific contributions in a number of technical fields, including wireless networking, security, systems, and databases. In addition, he founded IBM’s security software business and helped create the world’s first commercial wireless system.

Arvind has an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the recipient of distinguished alumni awards from both institutions.

Ted Colbert

Ted Colbert is executive vice president of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services. He is a member of Boeing’s Executive Council.

Colbert was named president and chief executive officer of Global Services in October 2019. He is responsible for leading Boeing’s aerospace services development and delivery model for commercial, government and aviation industry customers worldwide, focused on global supply chain and parts distribution, aircraft modifications and maintenance, digital solutions, aftermarket engineering, analytics and training. Global Services offers customers lifecycle solutions regardless of platform manufacturer to accelerate delivery schedules, reduce operational costs and enhance operational efficiencies. Global Services has more than 300 locations in more than 70 countries.

Previously, Colbert was chief information officer and senior vice president of Information Technology & Data Analytics. In this role, he led all aspects of information technology, information security, data and analytics. He also supported the growth of Boeing's business through IT- and analytics-related revenue generating programs.

Prior to his role as CIO, he led Boeing’s Information Technology Infrastructure organization where he was responsible for developing and maintaining network, computing, server, storage, collaboration and infrastructure solutions across the enterprise. Before that, he led the IT Business Systems organization where he managed the computing application systems that support Boeing Finance, Human Resources, Corporate and Commercial Capital Business Units, as well as the company’s internal systems.

Prior to joining Boeing in 2009, Colbert was senior vice president of Enterprise Architecture at Citigroup. Before that, he spent 11 years in Ford Motor Company’s Information Technology organization where he held roles of increasing responsibility in
the areas of program management, infrastructure engineering and operations, application development, portfolio management and process reengineering.

Colbert completed the Dual Degree Engineering Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Morehouse College with degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering and Interdisciplinary Science. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and serves on the board of directors for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Georgia Tech President’s Advisory Board, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus Advisory Board and New Leaders, where he serves as board chair.

Colbert’s recent accomplishments include recognition as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy magazine in 2020; becoming the first recipient of the Fisher Center prize for Excellence in Driving Transformation from the Fisher Center For Business Analytics at Berkeley; winning the 2018 Forbes CIO Innovation Award; recognition as one of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America by Black Enterprise magazine in 2017; 2017 Morehouse College Bennie Leadership Award for Excellence in Business; recognition as the 2016 National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Legacy Award winner; recognition as the HMG Strategy 2016 CIO of the Year; and, being named a 2015 Ebony Power 100 honoree.

Lisa Safarian

Lisa Safarian is responsible for the North American commercial performance of Crop Science, a division of Bayer. This consists of sales, marketing, market development and product supply for row crops, specialty crops and horticulture, including seeds, traits and crop protection in the United States and Canada. Before assuming this key leadership role when Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018, Ms. Safarian served as Vice President, North America, for Monsanto and held a variety of other positions in her more than 30 years with that company.

Known for her track record driving business results, Ms. Safarian is also a champion for diversity and inclusion. She has been named Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women and is involved in the G100 Next Generation Leadership Program. In addition, Ms. Safarian was elected to the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees, and serves on the advisory board of Saint Louis University’s Boeing Institute of International Business.

Ms. Safarian holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. She lives in O’Fallon, Illinois, with her husband and three children, and is an active volunteer in her community and church.

Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich’s vision for Metallica, which he has shared along with co-founder James Hetfield since the band’s inception in 1981, has been integral to Metallica attaining its status as one of the most enduring and fiercely independent bands in music history.From their philanthropic work via their All Within My Hands Foundation, to their Fifth Member fan club (over one million strong and growing), to their own Blackened Recordings record label, to their recent whiskey and beer ventures, to numerous branding collaborations, Metallica continually strive to set new standards in serving their legion of fans and the global community at large.

Stan Kasten

For nearly four decades, Stan Kasten has been a highly respected sports figure and developed a reputation for creating winning franchises, relying on three pillars - scouting and player development, enhancing the fan experience and community outreach - to establish franchises built for long-term success on and off the field.

That track record has continued during his tenure with the Dodgers, where the club reached the World Series last year and has won five consecutive NL West titles, doing so for the first time in franchise history. In addition to the team's accomplishments at the Major League level, the Dodgers have maintained one of baseball's top-rated farm systems and in 2017, the club was recognized as Baseball America's "Organization of the Year," honoring the team for its success from top to bottom. Since Kasten became the Dodgers' President and CEO on April 30, 2012, the team has topped the Majors in attendance each season while continuously making improvements to Dodger Stadium to keep the league's third-oldest stadium among the best facilities in baseball.

Kasten has been a member of numerous MLB, NBA and NHL ownership committees during his professional career and is also a former trustee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1999, Kasten became the first sports figure to hold the title of president of three different teams in three different major sports simultaneously, doing so with MLB's Atlanta Braves, the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers.

In 1979, at age 27, Kasten became the youngest general manager in NBA history with the Hawks, a position he held until 1990. Kasten became the Hawks' president in 1986. During his lengthy tenure in the Hawks' front offce, Kasten built the Hawks into a perennial contender, including four consecutive 50-win seasons from 1986-89 and a stretch of seven consecutive playoff appearances in the 1990's, and became the first - and only - NBA executive to win back-toback Executive of the Year awards in 1986-87.

Kasten also became president of the Braves in 1986. From 1987-2003, the Braves won more games than any other team in MLB and won 14 consecutive division titles (1991-2005), five National League pennants and the 1995 World Series.
In 1999, when the NHL awarded Atlanta an expansion team, Kasten added the title of president of the Thrashers, as well as chairman of the newly constructed Philips Arena. Kasten held all three positions until 2003, when he stepped down.

Prior to joining the Dodgers, Kasten was president of the Washington Nationals from 2006-10, where he worked to re-energize a dormant baseball fan base and simultaneously established a crown jewel franchise in Washington, D.C.

Kasten, the Los Angeles Sports Council's 2013 Executive of the Year, is on the board of directors for the LA84 Foundation as well as LA2028, the group organizing 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A native of Lakewood, N.J., Kasten is a graduate of New York University and Columbia University Law School.Kasten and his wife, Helen, have four children: Alana, Corey, Sherry and Jay.

Kelly Caruso

Kelly Caruso is a seasoned retail professional with vast experience in retail merchandising, technology, and sourcing. In March of 2019, she became the Chief Executive Officer of Shipt, a leading online same-day delivery marketplace. Under Caruso’s direction, Shipt offers delivery to more than 250 markets and 80 million households nationwide. The company also has a network of more than 200,000 Shipt Shoppers.
Caruso’s experience in the retail sector spans 25 years with companies such as May Merchandising, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Target. Prior to joining Shipt, Caruso was the Senior Vice President of Merchandising for Hardlines at Target. During her time at Target, she led numerous merchandising teams within Apparel, Accessories, and Home. She also led a multi-national team responsible for the global sourcing of Target’s Owned Brands in Apparel, Accessories, Home and Hardlines.
Caruso is a member of the board of directors for the Network of Executive Women (NEW) and is an alumnus of the Studio E Entrepreneurial Leadership program in the Twin Cities. She received her BA from the University of North Dakota. Kelly and her family have relocated to Birmingham, Alabama - the Magic City.

Alfred F. Kelly

Alfred F. Kelly, Jr. has been our chief executive officer since December 2016 and chairman of the board since April 2019. He has been a member of the board of directors since 2014. Previously, Mr. Kelly was president of the American Express Company, and most recently, he was president and chief executive officer of Intersection.

Before becoming CEO of Intersection, he was a management advisor at TowerBrook Capital Partners LP. From 2011 to late 2014, Mr. Kelly served as chairman, president and CEO of the 2014 NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee.

He led numerous groups at American Express Co. between 1987 and 2010, including the Global Consumer Group, the Consumer Card Services Group, OPEN from American Express, Consumer Travel, Global Travelers Cheques, the U.S. Merchant Group and Prepaid Services, U.S. Customer Service, Global Risk Management and Interactive Services.

Mr. Kelly was the chairman of the 2015 Papal Visit Committee for NYC and is active in numerous philanthropic endeavors, including serving as Chairman of the Board of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, a trustee of the New York Presbyterian Hospital and of Boston College, and as a member of the finance council for the Archdiocese of New York.

Mr. Kelly also worked at the White House from 1985-1987 as manager of information systems and at PepsiCo from 1981 to 1985 in strategic planning. He received a bachelor's degree as well as an MBA from Iona College.

Crystal Ashby

Crystal Ashby is the Interim President and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the preeminent membership organization for black CEOs, board directors, and the most senior black executives at Fortune 1000, Global 500 and equivalent companies. She leads the organization’s efforts to increase the number of global black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards, and in global enterprises. She is the first woman president and CEO of the organization and traces her association with The ELC to her participation in the first class of The ELC’s Strengthening the Pipeline leadership development program.

Ms. Ashby is an accomplished senior executive, board member and lawyer with more than 33 years of leadership success, significantly in the energy sector. Her corporate leadership experience was gained over a twenty-two-year career with BP where her roles spanned government and external affairs, law, compliance and ethics, university relations and retail.

Ms. Ashby is an NACD Fellow and member of the International Women’s Forum and has or is currently serving as a Director on the boards of several organizations. Most recently she was Vice Chair of The ELC. She served on the National Board of Genesys Works, the Holocaust Museum Houston Board and the University of Michigan College of Engineering Dean’s Leadership Advisory Board. She recently left the board of the Women Business Collaborative (WBC) and effective January 2020 is a Director on the Board of Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE).

Crystal earned her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a double major in English and Psychology, from the University of Michigan.

Tom Hayes

Tom Hayes is a recognized innovator and decorated executive in the food industry who has guided some of the world’s most well-known brands over the past three decades. As Ocean Spray’s President and CEO, he now leads the world's leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries, and oversees our global organization of more than 700 grower owners and 2,000 employees. Tom comes to Ocean Spray as our cooperative nears its centennial and is focused on ensuring the company is positioned for another 100 years of success.

“For everyone like me who grew up in New England, the Ocean Spray name is not just a global brand – it’s part of our culture. The heritage of the company and its 700 farmer owners is one to be celebrated and shared across the world, and I want to ensure it is protected and positioned to grow for a long time to come.”

Tom has played a substantial role in guiding the food industry toward innovation, sustainability, and positive growth throughout his career. As the former president and CEO of Tyson Foods, he led the largest food company in the U.S. with $40 billion in sales and 122,000 employees, introducing a new corporate brand, purpose, global growth strategy and approach to sustainability. While at Tyson, Tom also led popular consumer brands including Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm® and Ball Park®.

Prior to leading Tyson, Tom was the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Hillshire Brands and Sara Lee and held significant leadership roles at US Foods, ConAgra, and Kraft. Most recently, Tom was a partner at Entrepreneurial Equity Partners (e2p), a private equity firm that invests in middle market companies in the food industry. A native of southern New Hampshire, Tom earned a BA from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Darius Adamczyk

Darius Adamczyk is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell.

Before being elected Chairman in 2018 and named President and CEO in 2017, Darius served as President and Chief Operating Officer. His focus in these roles has been on accelerating Honeywell’s organic growth, expanding margins, creating a premier technology company, deploying capital effectively and building a high-performance culture.

He joined Honeywell in 2008 when Metrologic, where he was Chief Executive Officer, was acquired. He served as President of Honeywell’s Scanning and Mobility business for four years, doubling the size of the business, before leading a turnaround over two years as President of Process Solutions. In 2014, Darius was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.

Before joining Honeywell, Darius held several leadership positions with Ingersoll Rand and Booz Allen Hamilton. He began his career as an electrical engineer at General Electric in 1988.

Born in Poland on February 8, 1966, Darius emigrated to the United States at age 11. He earned his MBA from Harvard University, a master’s degree in computer engineering from Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Michigan State University.

Lisa Deverell

Lisa leads the Animal Nutrition portfolio, which encompasses livestock and lifestyle animals, as well as the ingredient portfolio. The portfolio is anchored by the iconic Purina brand, which delivers the best in animal nutrition.

Prior to this role, Lisa served for seven years as the Sr. Vice President of the Feed Business to Business portfolio, which included the businesses of milk replacer, micro ingredient distribution and premix, macro ingredient merchandising and Lab Diet businesses. She joined Land O’Lakes in 2004 and held strategy and finance leadership positions across Dairy Foods and our Feed and Winfield businesses before assuming the Business to Business role in 2013.

Before Land O’Lakes, Lisa held a variety of finance and strategy roles at International Multifoods and Pillsbury. She sat on the board of directors at Ecumen for 10 years. Lisa is passionate about developing women for leadership roles and served on Land O’Lakes’ Women’s Leadership Network in both co-lead and executive sponsor roles.

Kara Swisher

Kara Swisher is the executive editor of Recode, host of the Recode Decode podcast and co-executive producer of the Code Conference.

Swisher co-founded former Recode and Code owner Revere Digital and, before that, co-produced and co-hosted The Wall Street Journal’s “D: All Things Digital,” with Walt Mossberg. It was the major high-tech conference with interviewees such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and many other leading players in the tech and media industries. The gathering was considered one of the leading conferences focused on the convergence of tech and media industries.

She and Mossberg were also the co-executive editors of a tech and media website, AllThingsD.com.

Swisher worked in The Wall Street Journal’s San Francisco bureau. For many years, she wrote the column, “BoomTown,” which appeared on the front page of the Marketplace section and also on The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com. Previously, Swisher covered breaking news about the Web’s major players and Internet policy issues and also wrote feature articles on technology for the paper. She has also written a weekly column for the Personal Journal on home issues called “Home Economics.”

Previously, Swisher worked as a reporter at the Washington Post and as an editor at the City Paper of Washington, D.C. She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and her graduate degree at Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

Swisher is also the author of “aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads and Made Millions in the War for the Web,” published by Times Business Books in July 1998. The sequel, “There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for a Digital Future,” was published in the fall of 2003 by Crown Business Books.

Jon Fortt

Jon Fortt is co-anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” (M-F, 4PM-5PM). He created the weekly segments, “On the Other Hand” on “Squawk Box,” a one-man debate; and “Working Lunch” on “Power Lunch,” which features his in-depth interviews with news making CEOs such as Microsoft’s Sayta Nadella, Amazon’s Andy Jassy, AMD’s Lisa Su and Sanofi’s Paul Hudson.

Previously, he co-anchored CNBC’s “TechCheck” and “Squawk Alley.” Prior to that, he served as an on-air editor based at CNBC’s global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Fortt joined CNBC as technology correspondent in July 2010, working from CNBC’s Silicon Valley bureau where he covered the companies, start-ups and trends that are driving innovation in the industry.

Fortt is the creator of Fortt Knox (https://www.youtube.com/forttknox), a digital show he launched in 2016 that features in-depth 1:1 interviews with founders, CEOs and innovators. In 2020, he created The Black Experience in America: The Course (https://forttmedia.com), an online resource for exploring history and culture.

Fortt came to CNBC from Fortune magazine, where as a senior writer he covered both large technology companies— such as Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft—and trends, including cloud computing and the smartphone revolution. Before joining Fortune in 2007, Fortt was a senior editor at Business 2.0 magazine where he produced the “What Works” section. From 1999 to 2006, Fortt wrote and edited at the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Valley’s hometown newspaper. There he contributed to several efforts that won awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.

Fortt graduated from DePauw University as a Media Fellow, with a B.A. in English.

Follow Jon Fortt on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonfortt/.

Julia Boorstin

Julia Boorstin is CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent based at the network’s Los Angeles Bureau. She covers media with a special focus on the intersection of media and technology. Boorstin also plays a key role on CNBC’s bi-coastal tech-focused program “TechCheck” (M-F, 11AM-12PM ET/8AM-9AM PT) delivering reporting, analysis and interviews around streaming, social and the convergence of media and technology. She joined CNBC in May 2006 as a general assignment reporter and in 2007 moved to Los Angeles to cover media.

In 2013, Boorstin created and launched the CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list she oversees, highlighting the private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries. Additionally, she reported a documentary on the future of television for the network, “Stay Tuned…The Future of TV.” She also helped launch CNBC’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative covering the people and companies closing gender gaps, and leads CNBC’s coverage of studies on this topic. She is currently writing a book called, “WHEN WOMEN LEAD: What they achieve, Why they succeed, and How we can learn from them,” about female founders that Simon & Schuster’s Avid Reader imprint is publishing in October 2022.

Boorstin joined CNBC from Fortune magazine where she was a business writer and reporter since 2000. During that time, she was also a contributor to “Street Life,” a live market wrap-up segment on CNN Headline News.

In 2003, 2004 and 2006, The Journalist and Financial Reporting newsletter named Boorstin to the “TJFR 30 under 30” list of the most promising business journalists under 30 years old. She has also worked for the State Department’s delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and for Vice President Gore’s domestic policy office.

She graduated with honors from Princeton University with a B.A. in history. She was also an editor of The Daily Princetonian.

Carl Quintanilla

Carl Quintanilla is co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” (M-F, 9AM-12PM ET), which broadcasts from Post 9 at the New York Stock Exchange. Previously, he was co-anchor of CNBC’s “TechCheck” and “Squawk Alley.”

Since joining NBCUniversal in 1999, Quintanilla has covered a wide range of stories for both CNBC and NBC News, where he was a New York- and Chicago-based correspondent for “Today” and “NBC Nightly News,” including the Olympic games, presidential elections, and international military conflicts from Israel to Iraq. As part of NBC’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he shared a national Emmy Award, DuPont Award, RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award and broadcast’s highest honor, Peabody Award.

The one-hour documentaries Quintanilla has reported for CNBC include: “The New High: Extreme Sports,” ”#TwitterRevolution,” “The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant,” “BMW: A Driving Obsession,” “Big Mac: Inside the McDonald’s Empire,” “Trash Inc: The Secret Life of Garbage” and “The Money Chase: Inside Harvard Business School.”

Prior to joining NBC, Quintanilla spent six years as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado.

Jane Wells

Jane Wells develops features, special reports and series for CNBC and CNBC.com. Based in Los Angeles, she also contributes to CNBC’s breaking news coverage.

Wells assumed her current role after more than 20 years as a CNBC reporter. Most recently, she covered retail, agriculture and defense as well as reports on California’s economy, West Coast real estate and Las Vegas for the network. Wells joined CNBC in 1996, providing special coverage of the O.J. Simpson civil case for “Rivera Live.” During her career at the network, Wells also served as a senior correspondent for CNBC’s “Upfront Tonight.” She also helped create the “Strange Success” franchise for CNBC Make It, and produces a companion podcast.

Prior to joining CNBC, she was a correspondent for the Fox News Channel and Los Angeles reporter for NBC’s flagship television station, WNBC, in New York. Her television news career includes reporter positions with KTTV, Los Angeles; WTVJ, Miami; and KOB, Albuquerque. She has also contributed international reports for CNN.

Wells has received numerous honors for her work, including a 1992 Peabody Award and duPont Award for her role in the live coverage of the Rodney King Trial. That same year, she earned a Los Angeles Emmy Award for her investigative reporting. She also has received UPI, Press Club and Emmy Awards for feature reporting; three Florida Emmy Awards for news reporting; and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award for team reporting.

Wells holds bachelor’s degrees in broadcast journalism and philosophy from the University of Southern California, where she graduated with honors. She and her husband have two children and live in Los Angeles.

Jim Cramer

Jim Cramer believes there is always a bull market somewhere, and he wants to help you find it. He is host of CNBC's "Mad Money," (M-F, 6PM ET) featuring lively guest interviews, viewer calls and most important, the unmatched, fiery opinions of Cramer himself. He serves as the viewer's personal guide through the confusing jungle of Wall Street investing—navigating through both opportunities and pitfalls with one goal in mind—to help them make money.

Cramer is also co-anchor of the 9 a.m. ET hour of CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (M-F, 9AM-11AM ET) and the founder of TheStreet, a multimedia provider of financial commentary.

He graduated from Harvard College where he was president and editor-in-chief of the prestigious daily, The Harvard Crimson. After graduation, he became a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat and later for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, where he covered stories ranging from homicides to sporting events.

Cramer is a former hedge fund manager and founder/owner and senior partner of Cramer Berkowitz. His compounded rate of return was 24 percent after all fees for 14 years at Cramer Berkowitz. He retired from his hedge fund in 2001, where he finished with one of the best records in the business, including having 36 percent-plus year in 2000.

He helped Steve Brill launch American Lawyer magazine before attending Harvard Law School and earning a law degree. Upon graduating and passing the New York State Bar Examination and being admitted to the N.Y. State Bar, Cramer joined Goldman Sachs in sales and trading. While at Goldman, Cramer wrote for The New Republic about stock market issues.

In December 2013, he published the book, "Jim Cramer's Get Rich Carefully," in which he creates a guide to high-yield, low-risk investing. Cramer is also the author of "Jim Cramer's Getting Back to Even," "Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich," "Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich," "Jim Cramer's RealMoney" and "Confessions of a Street Addict."

Kate Rogers

Kate Rogers joined CNBC in September 2014 as a reporter based at the network's Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Rogers covers small business and entrepreneurship for the network appearing on CNBC's Business Day programming and providing daily stories and videos to CNBC.com. She will also contribute to the network's overall markets coverage.

Previously, Rogers was a personal finance and small business reporter for FOX Business and FOXBusiness.com. While there, she reported across FBN's and FOX News' daily programming. She also created and hosted a web series on entrepreneurship and startups called "Growing Your Business" for FOXBusiness.com.

Prior to FBN, Rogers was a reporter at the Nonprofit Times covering the business aspect of nonprofit management, and was an editor at the Union County Local Source.

Rogers holds a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Women's Studies from the University of Delaware.

Barbara Burger

Barbara J. Burger, PhD., is president of Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV), a role she has held since June 1, 2013. CTV addresses Chevron’s business needs through the identification and integration of innovative externally developed technologies that strengthen Chevron’s core business operations.

Burger joined Chevron in 1987 as a research chemist at Chevron’s Richmond Laboratory. After several technical assignments, she held a number of management positions of increasing responsibility in International Marketing, Chemicals, Technology Marketing and Lubricants. During her time in Lubricants, she held the positions of vice president of Base Oils; vice president of Europe, Africa, Middle East, based in London; vice president of Global Supply Chain and vice president of Supply Chain and Base Oils.

An active alumna of the University of Rochester, Burger joined the University of Rochester Board of Trustees in 2015 and is a member of the university’s River Campus Libraries National Council and the George Eastman Circle, the university’s leadership annual giving society. In 2012, she established the Barbara J. Burger Endowed Scholarship in the Sciences to support students pursuing degrees in the natural sciences. In 2015, she founded the Barbara J. Burger iZone, a center where students go to generate, refine, and communicate ideas for social, cultural, community, and economic impact.

Among her many civic and industry affiliations, Burger serves as governing director and vice chair for Houston Exponential and is a governing board director, member of the Executive Committee and chair of the Finance Committee of the Houston Symphony Society. She is also a member of Houston’s Committee of Foreign Relations and serves on the external advisory council for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as well as the governing board of the MIT Energy Initiative and is a member of MIT’s Visiting Committee. She served as non-executive director for Caltex Australia Limited, an ASX100 company, from 2012 to 2015.

Burger holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester, a doctoral degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and an academic honor MBA in finance from the University of California, Berkeley.

Carlos Pascual

Mr. Carlos Pascual, a former senior US diplomat and previously the State Department’s top energy official, is senior vice president at IHS Markit, focusing on global energy issues and international affairs.

​As the energy envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs for the United States, Mr. Pascual established and directed the new Energy Resources Bureau at the U.S. Department of State and was senior advisor to the Secretary of State on energy issues. He had previously been a United States Ambassador to both Mexico and Ukraine and was special assistant to the President for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia on the National Security Council.

At the Brookings Institution, Mr. Pascual served as both vice president and director of foreign policy studies and launched the Brookings Energy Security Initiative. He taught and wrote on energy geopolitics at Columbia University. Mr. Pascual created the position of coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization, establishing the State Department's first civilian response capacity to conflicts. He also was the State Department's coordinator for American assistance to Europe and Eurasia.

From 1995 through 2000, he served as special assistant to the President and successively as director and then senior director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia at the National Security Council. He has also held leadership roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development, including as deputy assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia, chief of policy and strategy for Africa and in field postings in Mozambique, South Africa and Sudan.

Mr. Pascual received his Masters of Public Policy degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, both United States. His book, Power and Responsibility, won a 2009 award for the best political science book published by an independent publisher.

Michael Webber

Dr. Michael E. Webber is based in Paris, France where he serves as the Chief Science and Technology Officer at ENGIE, a global energy & infrastructure services company. Webber is also the Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources, Author, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he trains the next generation of energy leaders through research and education at the convergence of engineering, policy, and commercialization. Webber has authored more than 400 scientific articles, columns, books, and book chapters, including op-eds in the New York Times and features in Scientific American. His latest book Power Trip: the Story of Energy, which received a glowing review by The New York Times, was published May 7, 2019 by Basic Books. A 6-part companion series for the book is in development for PBS. His first book, Thirst for Power: Energy, Water and Human Survival addresses the connection between earth’s most valuable resources with a hopeful approach toward a sustainable future and received wide praise. To accompany this book, a one hour documentary was created by Alpheus Media that has received recognition at numerous film festivals including the Environmental Film Festival in Washington D.C. and EarthX in Dallas, TX.

Webber was also selected as a member of the 4th class of the Presidential Leadership Scholars, a leadership training program organized by Presidents George W. Bush and William J. Clinton. A successful entrepreneur, Webber was one of three founders in 2015 for an educational technology startup, DISCO Learning Media, which was acquired in 2018 by Probility Media.
As a highly sought public speaker, he has given more than 200 lectures, speeches, and invited talks in the last few years, such as testimony on the energy-water nexus for committee hearings of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, keynotes for business meetings, plenary lectures for scientific conferences, invited speeches at the United Nations and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and executive briefings at some of the nation’s leading companies.
Furthermore, he has served in many distinguished advisory and regulatory positions for industry, government, and non-profits, including as co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator (2009—2018) and Deputy Director of the Energy Institute (2013—2018) at UT Austin. Webber was a member of AT&T’s Sustainability Advisory Council (2009—2012) and a commissioner for Austin Energy (2008—2013). Other positions include the Board of Advisers for Scientific American (since 2009), the Roundtable on Sustainability with the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering (2012—2018), and as a board member for non-profits such as Sustainable America (2012—present), the Hope Street Group (2004—2006), and the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) (2012—2018).

In addition, as a professor, Dr. Webber has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at UT Austin since 2007 across departments as diverse as mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, liberal arts, business, geosciences, public affairs, and undergraduate studies. Webber was honored as an American Fellow of the German Marshall Fund, an AT&T Industrial Ecology Fellow, and on four separate occasions by the University of Texas for exceptional teaching. Dr. Webber’s research focuses on the convergence of policy, technology, and resource management related to energy and the environment. In 2014 he was selected as a Fellow of ASME (the American Society of Mechanical Engineers), honoring his work and service to the scientific community and in 2015 honored with ASME’s Frank Kreith Energy Award. Entities such as the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Department of Energy, and non-governmental organizations, such as UNESCO, have featured Dr. Webber’s research in their policy-making decisions. He holds six patents.

His expertise, opinions, and research have been published, cited or featured in many media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, NPR, PBS, Bloomberg TV, The Daily Telegraph, BBC, ABC, CBS, Discovery, Popular Mechanics, New Scientist, MSNBC, and the History Channel.

His capstone class “Energy Technology and Policy” was launched as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled “Energy 101” September 2013 through a partnership with edX. More than 44,000 students from around the world registered for the course, and nearly 5000 completed it, which is twice the normal completion rate for MOOCs. He has also offered the course as part of executive education programs and professional training in Austin, TX; Houston, TX; Washington DC; Durham, NC; Phoenix, AZ; and Leatherhead, England for companies such as ExxonMobil, Sinopec, CNOOC, and many others.

Dr. Webber received his BA with High Honors in Plan II Liberal Arts and his BS with High Honors in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He then received both a MS and a PHD in mechanical engineering with a PhD minor in electrical engineering from Stanford University where he was a National Science Foundation Fellow. He then served as a senior scientist at Pranalytica, where he invented sensors for homeland security, industrial analysis, and environmental monitoring. He then transitioned to the RAND Corporation studying energy, innovation, manufacturing, and national security. Dr. Webber is one of the originators of Pecan Street Incorporated, a public-private partnership in Austin, Texas, running the nation’s largest smart grid and smart water experiment. He lives in Paris, France with his wife and children.

Prakash Kota

As Autodesk’s CIO, Prakash leads the company’s global information and technology organization, a group that manages critical technology systems supporting the company’s worldwide enterprise applications and infrastructure, including data and security operations and workforce collaboration and productivity services. Building talent, customer experience, operational excellence, industry collaboration and partnerships, positioning for global scale are top of his mind.

He is an experienced IT thought leader with a digital experience mindset who drives the culture of innovation and the company’s digital agenda. He has accelerated Autodesk’s digital transformation and customer-centric approach by providing customers and employees world-class experiences by embracing disruptive technology with the latest Silicon Valley start-up companies and introducing modern automation techniques such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic process automation. His automation strategy generates competitive advantage and his expertise in digital transformation turns technology into a growth driver.

Successful track record of establishing organizational vision and strategy, leading large teams, executing global insourcing/outsourcing strategies, setting up onsite/offshore delivery models, and M&A (planning and integration). Efficient and effective at managing global IT operations for geographically and culturally diverse organizations. A skilled negotiator who maximizes value and manages the enterprise technology and services portfolio.

He builds social relationships with industry tech leaders, often participating as a panelist at Silicon Valley industry functions, hosting CIO Exchanges with Autodesk customer Fortune 500 leaders, and using his thought leadership platform to contribute to CIO magazine, Forbes, and Wall Street CIO journal about his expertise and strategies on digital transformation.

Kota has been with Autodesk for 15+ years and has held many roles within IT including, Director DevOps, Sr. Director of Enterprise Operations, and Vice President of Enterprise Infrastructure and Operations. He holds a master’s degree in computer science from Oklahoma State University, and a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication from the University of Madras.

Sendur Sellakumar

Sendur Sellakumar is the Senior Vice President, Cloud and Chief Product Officer of Splunk. Sendur is passionate about delivering a multi-product portfolio — helping customers wherever they are on their business journey to help them bridge data into action. Prior to assuming the Chief Product Officer role in June of 2019, Sendur held various key leadership positions at Splunk, including Senior Vice President and Vice President of Cloud from 2017 to 2019 and Vice President, Corporate Development from 2013 to 2017.

Sendur has a rich background in the financial services industry, as well as engineering. Before joining Splunk, he worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. Earlier in his career, Sendur held several engineering roles at enterprise technology companies, including Qualcomm and Autodesk. Sendur holds a B.S. from the University of California, San Diego, an M.B.A. from Cornell University and is based in the Bay Area.

Tom Laymon

Tom Laymon is the Senior Vice President of Care Delivery Operations for Atrium Health, an integrated network with more than 1,600 providers, 350 locations, 6,600 employees, three million patient visits and one billion in annual net revenue. As one of the leading healthcare systems in the Southeast, the Medical Group serves both North and South Carolina.

In 2008, Tom joined Carolinas HealthCare System, now Atrium Health, as Vice President of Finance for the physician division and led the financial management strategies of the physician networks, including the integration of physician acquisitions, startups, new service lines, as well as the financial execution of an aggressive growth plan over 5 years. He was then promoted to President-Chief Operations Executive of the Medical Group in 2013.

Recognized as an accessible, forward-thinking and solutions-oriented leader, Tom is actively focused on consumerism and its effects on the healthcare system, chartering an internal team to change the way we engage with our patients. Firmly committed to the patient and consumer experience, he also serves on the Atrium Health patient relationship management team which is focused on integrating service and financial care into the patient delivery model.

Prior to joining Carolinas HealthCare System, Tom served as Chief Executive Officer of a large orthopedic group where he led the integration of a newly merged consortium to a high functioning single enterprise. He was responsible for advancing the mission and vision of the organization as well as development and execution of the strategic plan and governance model. Tom also served as the Chicago Region President of a healthcare management and technology company, providing group practice management services and technology solutions to a large group of hospital-based physician networks.

Born and raised in Illinois, Tom values bringing people together to accomplish something greater than themselves. His loves are family, relationships and seeing others succeed. Tom enjoys leadership roles in his church and community, and has served as a school board member, on several church boards, as well as financial advisor to a Catholic trust fund. He also presides over a high school fishing club that was started in memory of his teenage son, an avid angler, who lost his life in a tragic auto accident. The pillars of the club are fun, fellowship, faith, and fishing.
Tom received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Olivet Nazarene University in 1986 and earned his CPA in 1991. He lives in Huntersville, N.C. with his wife and has a daughter in college.

John Abraham

John leads the Medallia Institute, which publishes research and education programs on customer experience trends and practices. He has run workshops with more than 2,000 customer experience leaders across a variety of industries. Prior to joining Medallia, John led the Net Promoter community, working closely with customer loyalty author Fred Reichheld on the NPS approach. John started his career in consulting before moving into the software industry as a marketing executive, where he got his first exposure to the power of customer experience transformation as sponsor for CX initiatives at a leading risk management software company.

Debra King

Debra King is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Corteva Agriscience, where she leads Information Technology (IT) and the enterprise digital strategy for the only pure-play agriculture company in the industry. Effective Jan 1, 2021, Debra will expand her current responsibilities to include Executive Leadership Team sponsor of the Corporate Transformation Office and will add Chief Transformation Officer to her role as CIO.

Debra led a multi-year IT transformation that enabled the successful spin of Corteva from DowDuPont in June of 2019. She is now focused on delivering a fit-for-purpose technology foundation for the new company and leading Corteva’s enterprise digital transformation. In her expanded role, Debra will also be accountable for Corteva’s overall business transformation strategy, including an enterprise approach to align and holistically manage initiatives which will enable the optimization of investments and business outcomes.

As a member of Corteva’s executive leadership team, Debra works closely with her peers to ensure technology is integral to the enterprise strategy and provides an exceptional digital experience for Corteva’s employees and customers. She is known as a passionate, customer-focused leader with
a relentless drive for achieving business results through innovation.

Debra joined Corteva in 2017 from Pfizer, where she was accountable for IT strategy, delivery and operations for several business divisions at increasing levels of responsibility. She led numerous global transformation programs, spanning commercial, digital, IT services, and collaboration, with a strong track record of delivering exceptional results. She joined Pfizer in 2002 after ten years in various technology services roles across the life sciences, government and entertainment industries.

Debra holds a degree in Computer Science and currently serves on various advisory boards, including the Board of Directors of NPower, whose mission is to launch digital careers for military veterans and young adults from underserved communities.

David Leckstein

David partners with today’s top business leaders to accelerate change for their organizations and deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity. As leader of Accenture’s Northeast Technology business, he has extensive experience helping clients manage complex transformation initiatives and achieve growth, agility, and sustainability. A technologist to the core, David is passionate about unlocking value with innovative technology capabilities and ecosystem partnerships leveraging the Cloud, AI, and more. David joined Accenture in 1997, and has held several leadership roles within its global Enterprise Resource Planning business. David lives and works in New York City.

AGENDA

Agenda subject to change

11:45am ET

Doors Open

12:00pm ET

Program Begins

From Home Products to Industrial Software Powerhouse
You may associate Honeywell with smart home products, fire alarms and thermostats. But the global conglomerate continues its transformation into an industrial cloud powerhouse while also forging new paths in quantum computing, aerospace and renewable resources.
Darius Adamczyk, CEO, Honeywell
Interviewer: Jim Cramer, “Mad Money” Host, “Squawk on the Street” Co-Anchor, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Delivery Disruption: Driving the New Era of Membership Retail
A quick glance at your credit card statement is all the proof needed that membership programs are exploding. And as shoppers’ habits continue to shift online, Shipt is quickly becoming an everyday necessity for those demanding a faster, more efficient and highly customized store-to-sofa delivery experience.
Kelly Caruso, CEO, Shipt
Interviewer: Kate Rogers, Reporter, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Plowing New Digital Ground in Agriculture
Both Bayer and Land O’Lakes have lasting legacies in agriculture that have withstood decades of economic and cultural change. With a new focus on digital farming, these iconic brands are working to innovate crops, reimagine seed genetics, create smarter equipment and improve sustainability, nutrition and harvests for decades to come.
Lisa Deverell, President, Purina Animal Nutrition and EVP, Land O’Lakes
Lisa Safarian, President, Crop Science, Bayer North America
Interviewer: Jane Wells, Special Correspondent, CNBC

Watch the full interview

12:45pm ET

Networking Break

1:00pm ET

Program Continues

Big Blue’s Business Plan: Divide and Conquer
IBM’s historic plan to split into two companies by the end of 2021 marks a significant shift to reinvent the 109-year-old tech giant. The goal: Building new AI-infused data analysis capabilities and a laser focus on the $1 trillion dollar hybrid cloud market.
Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM
Interviewer: Jon Fortt, “Squawk Alley” Co-Anchor, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Los Angeles Dodgers: A Season Like No Other for the Blue Crew
With another appearance at the World Series, and highest fan attendance in MLB history, the LA Dodgers are one of the most cherished franchises in sports. This year alone, the team charged ahead with a $100 million digital overhaul of its beloved 1962 ballpark, shelled out millions more to create a data-driven dugout and bolstered the bullpen. All this while balancing the safety and security of fans, players and staff in the face of a global pandemic.
Stan Kasten, President, Los Angeles Dodgers
Interviewer: Julia Boorstin, Senior Media & Entertainment Correspondent, CNBC

Watch the full interview

1:45pm ET

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Knowledge and Technology: Fueling Today and the Future
Sponsored and Programmed by Chevron Corporation
The U.S. oil and gas industry continues to make significant investments in technologies that are lowering emissions today, while positioning themselves for a future where knowledge and technology will shape the global energy landscape. Learn about the industry’s newest innovations that are optimizing the production and delivery of energy, and what to expect from investments in startups that may offer a glimpse into the future of the industry.
Barbara Burger, President, Technology Ventures, Chevron Corporation
Michael Webber, Professor, Josey Centennial in Energy Resources, University of Texas
Moderator: Carlos Pascual, Senior Vice President, Global Energy, IHS Markit

Watch the full interview

 

The Data Imperative: Moving From Insight to Action
Sponsored and Programmed by Splunk
The most successful organizations will be the ones best able to act on their data. Even before COVID-19 gripped the world, businesses of every shape and size were racing to make their data a competitive advantage. The global pandemic has dramatically accelerated this imperative. Industry leaders discuss creating data strategies that will drive transformation, amplify impact, and thrive in the Data Age.
Sendur Sellakumar, Senior Vice President, Cloud and Chief Product Officer, Splunk
Prakash Kota, Chief Information Officer, Autodesk
Moderator: Shibani Joshi, Business Journalist

Watch the full interview

 

The Customer As Guide: Using Feedback to Navigate Change
Sponsored and Programmed by Medallia
The events of 2020 have shown how pivotal it is to stay connected to customers in times of rapid change. Join Medallia and Atrium Health to explore how to embed customer-centered agility within your organization. Atrium Health will share how they have taken advantage of real-time patient feedback to iterate quickly on changes to care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thomas F. Laymon, SVP, Chief of Care Delivery Operations, Atrium Health
John Abraham, General Manager, Medallia Institute

Watch the full interview

2:10pm ET

Networking Break

2:25pm ET

Final Sessions

Growing with the Cloud: A Journey to Protect People, Innovation and the Planet
Sponsored and Programmed by Accenture
How does the world’s biggest Agriscience company transform its business while taking care of farmers on the forefront of an ever-changing food landscape, all while managing the ramifications of a global pandemic? Learn how Corteva is migrating its operation to the Azure cloud with minimal disruption, all while boosting agility, scalability, and growth, and bringing down emissions as they do it. With the support of Accenture and Microsoft, Corteva’s journey shows how businesses safeguard people and the planet for generations to come.
David Leckstein, Senior Managing Director, Northeast Technology Lead, Accenture
Debra King, CIO and Chief Transformation Officer, Corteva
Moderator: Joanne Lipman, Business Journalist

Watch the full interview

 

The Evolving Workplace: How Businesses are Rethinking Diversity and Inclusion 
The calls for racial equity and justice made many businesses rethink much of their corporate structure this year. We look at how companies are changing their practices from hiring and promoting; to relationships with vendors; and even how they communicate with customers and employees alike to create a more inclusive culture.
Crystal Ashby, Interim President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council
Ted Colbert, EVP, The Boeing Company, & President and CEO, Boeing Global Services
Interviewer: Sharon Epperson, Senior Personal Finance Correspondent, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Juiced-Up Brands and Product Lines
The 90-year-old farmer-owned cranberry cooperative is putting renewed focus on sustainability, incubating new brands – from dog food to CBD products – and maintaining supply chains of a pantry staple in the face of a global pandemic. Not to mention juiced-up recognition, thanks to a lip-synching skateboarder and the power of viral videos.
Tom Hayes, CEO, Ocean Spray
Interviewer: Tyler Mathisen, Co-anchor, “Power Lunch”; Vice President, Events Strategy, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Enabling Individuals, Businesses and Economies to Thrive
Visa is one of the most well-known brands in the world, currently ranked #5 on BrandZ’s top 100 most valuable global brands list. What you may not know is Visa is a payments technology company that enables money movement across more than 200 countries and territories among a global set of consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, strategic partners and government entities through innovative technologies.
Alfred Kelly
,
Chairman & CEO, Visa 
Interviewer: Carl Quintanilla, “Squawk on the Street” Co-Anchor & “Squawk Alley” Anchor, CNBC

Watch the full interview

 

Enter Sandman: Metallica’s Lars Ulrich on Music’s Digital Evolution
Much has changed since Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield formed Metallica back in 1981. One of the biggest and most recent changes for the band, and for musicians around the world, was how to connect with fans as the pandemic forced tours off the road. The Grammy-winning drummer explains how the music industry has changed over his career and how the band incorporates cutting-edge technology to take the fan experience to new heights.
Lars Ulrich, Drummer and Founding Member, Metallica
Interviewer: Kara Swisher, Executive Editor, Recode; Host, Recode Decode Podcast

Watch the full interview

 

3:30pm ET

Program Concludes

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