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.
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 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 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’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.
Agenda subject to change
11:45am ET
12:00pm ET
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
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
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
12:45pm ET
1:00pm ET
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
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
1:45pm ET
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
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
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
2:10pm ET
2:25pm ET
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
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
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
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
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
3:30pm ET
Highlight your company's strategic leadership, innovation and iconic legacy.
Senior business decision makers seeking to innovate and drive change.
Leading CEOs from disrupted industries now playing offense.
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 513,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. We define the energy challenge in human terms. Our work has made human progress a reality for millions by driving social and economic development and enabling the benefits of modern society. Life depends on reliable, affordable and ever-cleaner energy. Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV) champions the innovation, commercialization and integration of emerging technologies into Chevron. We pursue innovative business solutions and externally developed technologies that have the potential to improve Chevron’s base business operations and champion their deployment and adoption into Chevron.
With $91.5 billion in assets, City National Bank provides banking, investment and trust services through 73 branches, including 19 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada, New York City, Nashville, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Miami*. In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $96.2 billion in client investment assets.
City National is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), one of the world’s leading diversified financial services companies. RBC serves more than 17 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the United States and 27 other countries.
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.
*City National Bank does business in Miami and the state of Florida as CN Bank.
We make shopping smooth. With Klarna, consumers can buy now and pay later, so they can get what they need today. Klarna’s offering to consumers and retailers includes payments, social shopping and personal finances. Over 200,000 merchants, including H&M, IKEA, Expedia Group, Samsung, ASOS, Peloton, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike and AliExpress, have enabled Klarna’s innovative shopping experience online and in-store. Klarna is ranked number five on the 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, is one of the most highly valued fintech in Europe with a valuation of $10.6 billion, and is one of the largest private fintechs globally. Klarna was founded in 2005, has over 3,000 employees and is active in 17 countries. For more information, visit klarna.com.
Medallia is the pioneer and market leader in Experience Management. Medallia’s award-winning SaaS platform, the Medallia Experience Cloud, leads the market in the understanding and management of experience for customers, employees and citizens. Using Medallia customers can reduce churn, turn detractors into promoters and buyers and create in-the-moment cross-sell and up-sell opportunities, enabling clear returns on investment. www.medallia.com.
Splunk turns data into doing with the Data-to-Everything Platform. Splunk technology is designed to investigate, monitor, analyze and act on data at any scale. Our powerful platform and unique approach to data have empowered companies to improve service levels, reduce operations costs, mitigate risk, enhance DevOps collaboration and create new product and service offerings. Learn more at www.splunk.com
ZipRecruiter is a leading online employment marketplace. Powered by AI-driven smart matching technology, the company actively connects millions of all-sized businesses and job seekers through innovative mobile, web, and email services, as well as partnerships with the best job boards on the web. ZipRecruiter has the #1 rated job search app on iOS & Android. Founded in 2010, the Santa Monica-based marketplace has over 1000 employees in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Israel.
Chip Bergh is the president & chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.). He is also on the company’s board of directors.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ and Denizen® brands. Our products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites and a global footprint of approximately 3,000 retail stores and shop-in-shops.
Prior to joining Levi Strauss & Co. in September 2011, Chip had a 28-year career at Procter & Gamble (P&G). Chip “grew up” in brand management and served in a number of leadership positions with increasing levels of complexity and scope. His last assignment before joining LS&Co. was group president for global male grooming. He was the first P&G employee assigned to the Gillette business following P&G’s $57 billion acquisition of Gillette in 2005. He led the integration and then ran the Gillette Blades & Razors business along with all of P&G’s male grooming brands (Gillette, Old Spice and The Art of Shaving). Prior to that, Chip led all of P&G’s business in India, Southeast Asia and Australasia.
Chip has led many iconic brands during his career including the creation and launch of Swiffer (P&G’s most successful new brand in the last three decades), the turnaround and growth of Old Spice, in addition to Gillette, Folgers coffee and Jif Peanut Butter. He has lived and worked in the United States, Asia and Europe and has run large global businesses and brands.
In July 2017, Chip was named non-executive chairman of the board of HP Inc. (HPQ), the market-leading printing and personal systems company. He has served as lead independent director of the HP board since March 2017 and as a board member since the company’s separation in 2015. Chip has also previously served on the board of directors for VF Corporation and the Economic Development Board of Singapore.
In April 2019, Chip was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine, coming in at No. 16, and has been widely recognized for his position on values-driven leadership.
Mark Thompson became president and chief executive officer of The New York Times Company on November 12, 2012. He is responsible for leading the company’s strategy, operations and business units.
Mr. Thompson has been instrumental in accelerating the pace of The Times’s digital transformation. Under his leadership, The Times became the first news organization in the world to pass the one million digital-only subscription mark. The company has also introduced a new era of international growth, launched an industry-leading branded content studio and invested in virtual reality, producing some of the most celebrated work in this emerging medium.
Before joining the Times Company, Mr. Thompson served as director-general of the BBC from 2004, where he reshaped the organization to meet the challenge of the digital age, ensuring that it remained a leading innovator with the launch of services such as the BBC iPlayer. He also oversaw a transformation of the BBC itself, driving productivity and efficiency through the introduction of new technologies and bold organizational redesign.
Mr. Thompson joined the BBC in 1979 as a production trainee. He helped launch “Watchdog” and “Breakfast Time,” was an output editor on “Newsnight,” and was appointed editor of the “Nine O’Clock News” in 1988 and of “Panorama” in 1990. He became controller (programming and scheduling chief) for the TV network BBC2 and director of television for the BBC before leaving the BBC in 2002 to become C.E.O. of Channel 4 Television Corporation in the United Kingdom.
In the autumn of 2012, he was a visiting professor of Rhetoric and the art of public persuasion at the University of Oxford. His book “Enough Said: What’s Gone Wrong with the Language of Politics?,” which is based on the lectures he gave at Oxford, was published in the U.K. and U.S. in September 2016.
Mark Thompson was educated at Stonyhurst College and Merton College, Oxford.
Micky Onvural is the CEO of Bonobos, the men’s e-commerce brand known for pioneering the
digitally-native vertical brand movement by offering exceptional-fitting menswear and a
personalized approach to service. As CEO, Onvural is responsible for evolving, innovating and
driving growth in all facets of the business from customers experience, to omni-channel
strategy, to product expansion and more.
Prior to her role as CEO, Onvural serves as the Co-President of Bonobos, where she was
responsible for evolving and innovating on the end-to-end customer experience including e-
Commerce, Guideshops, Ninjas (Customer Service), Marketing and Creative. Before her time
as Co-President, she held the title of Chief Marketing Officer at Bonobos, responsible for
relaunching the brand, internally championing Walmart’s acquisition of the company, and driving
business results across owned, earned and paid media channels. Before Bonobos, she served
at the Vice President of Consumer Marketing at Trulia, establishing it as a household name.
Before Trulia, she held marketing leadership roles at companies including L’Oreal, Kellogg’s,
TokBox and eBay.
Onvural graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge in the UK.
She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children.
Oscar Munoz is chief executive officer of United Airlines. He brings to this position deep and broad experience in both the transportation industry and large consumer brands.
Previously, Oscar served as president and chief operating officer of CSX Corporation, a premier freight transportation company. He also served as a director at CSX. During his tenure, CSX transformed itself into an industry leader in customer focus, reliability and financial performance. CSX was named one of Institutional Investor’s Most Honored Companies for a decade of excellent financial performance, including increasing its operating income by nearly 600%.
Additionally, Oscar served in various financial and strategic capacities at some of the world’s most recognized consumer brands, including AT&T, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and PepsiCo. Before joining CSX, Oscar held the position of chief financial officer and vice president of consumer services at AT&T Corporation. Prior to joining AT&T, he served as senior vice president of finance and administration for U.S. West, regional vice president of finance and administration for Coca-Cola Enterprises and held various financial positions at PepsiCo.
Oscar has served on the board of directors of United since 2010 and served on the board of directors of Continental Airlines, Inc. from 2004 to 2010. He is active in several industry coalitions and philanthropic and educational organizations including the University of North Florida’s Board of Trustees and the PAFA advisory board of Vanderbilt University.
Oscar graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in business administration, and he received an MBA from Pepperdine University. He has been named one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” by Hispanic Business magazine. He is married and has four children.