We Build Brands That Win

Todd Irwin has spent his career changing the way people perceive brands. For over three decades, he has led brand strategy and identity programs for numerous Fortune 500 companies, SMBs, and startups across multiple industries. An expert in De-Positioning—a strategic approach to outperforming competitors—Todd has authored influential articles such as “De-Positioning: The Secret Brand Strategy Apple and Starbucks Won’t Tell You About.”<br><br> Having worked with global agencies and founded three of his own, his core belief remains the same: to deliver the most competitive brand strategy and the highest quality creative by bringing together the most talented professionals who are passionate about serving clients. His programs have elevated companies such as Verizon, Coca-Cola, and Nikon, as well as startups backed by Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Google Ventures. As Chief Strategy Officer and Founder of Fazer, he focuses on delivering competitive brand strategies directly to those visionary leaders seeking growth.

Sheila is an award-winning strategic marketer with nearly two decades of experience leading cross-functional teams to solve complex challenges. She has worked with Fortune 500 brands, mid-weights and start-ups, across Energy, Tech, CPG, Healthcare, and Food & Beverage. Her success is in building strong relationships to uncover the problem beneath the problem. She thinks in terms of partnerships, not projects, and creates tailored approaches, with practical work streams – always anchored in a human need.<br><br> In her most recent role as vice president at McCann Worldgroup, Sheila was responsible for leading the transformation of ExxonMobil’s lubricants business from a sales-driven company to a marketing-led, customer-first organization. She also served as internal advisor to the C-Suite, helping the team earn Network of the Year at Cannes in 2019.<br><br> Prior to joining the world of marketing, Sheila worked as an American Sign Language Interpreter for the Deaf, translating for children in rural Maine.

Tom is a language locator. Opportunity articulator. Diviner of desires. He helps brands of all kinds take power over perception and hone their rules of attraction. His past clients include Marriott, JP Morgan Chase, [Redacted Federal Agency] and Bang & Olufsen. With a B.S. in Human & Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University, and over a decade of strategic brand executions–from naming luxury hotels to re-positioning global product brands–Tom leads people, products, and businesses on journeys of strategic redefinition.<br><br> At Fazer, Tom helms the Brand Strategy Team where he oversees the Brand Positioning, Narrative, Personality, Messaging and all that floweth from it. He enjoys ferrying strategic function into the land of human emotion. Tom values candor, good humor, and exiling the inessential. He’s writing this about himself. Do with that what you will.

Craig is a veteran of big creative agencies–McCann, Ogilvy, DDB, Wieden + Kennedy–and his career has been all about helping iconic global brands gain cultural traction and win share in today’s hyper-competitive marketplace. He was a mainstay for seven years on Mastercard in its “Priceless” heyday. Helped contemporize IKEA’s global catalog. Wrote the strategy that led to IBM’s long-running and highly effective “Smarter Planet” campaign. And spent a decade as the global strategy lead for McCann Worldgroup’s engagement with The Coca-Cola Company.<br><br> A Cannes savant, EFFIE expert and lecturer, and regular byline contributor to industry publications, Craig specializes in threading big ideas from org to world. Prior to Fazer, he was Managing Director of McCann’s Global Strategic Excellence practice – a consultancy within the agency that upleveled their strategy and creative products.

Ashley manages client relationships and project trajectories to streamline efficiency and communication and maximize value. She’s a dedicated conduit for all project communications, constantly calibrating outcomes and expectations to optimize successful execution of brand/business objectives. Her goal for every client partnership is to maintain ongoing clarity of purpose and provide consistently excellent service.<br><br> From working with Fortune 500 clients such as Charles Schwab, Johnson & Johnson, and Exxon Mobile, to early stage innovation companies, Ashley has gained a myriad of learnings that she applies to provide the best possible client experience. She strives not only to drive client success, but also to bestow the confidence of a clearly organized and executed plan of action.

Mark has dedicated his career to crafting compelling visual identities that resonate deeply with audiences. With extensive experience collaborating with the world’s most influential brands, including Disney, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Walmart, and Mondelez, he excels at translating strategic insights into iconic, multidimensional brand expressions.<br><br> Mark’s design philosophy is grounded in the power of simplicity, clarity, and cohesion. His process combines creative flexibility with strategic depth, ensuring that every solution aligns seamlessly with business goals while captivating customers.<br><br> As Fazer’s design director, Mark brings an artist’s precision and a strategist’s mindset to every project. He thrives on curiosity, iterative exploration, and storytelling, delivering visual systems that build lasting connections and drive meaningful growth.

Samantha Edwards is Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Charles Group. Beginning as an editorial designer at GQ Magazine UK, she went on to lead creative for DKNY, Ferrari North America, and TOTO USA. Her work has earned Cannes Lions, Webbys, and D&AD Pencils. With over 15 years in brand strategy and digital marketing, she drives The Charles Group’s creative vision, blending business objectives with innovative design solutions for luxury and Fortune 500 clients.

Story before all. Remy believes in jargon-free copy, singular ideas, and big storytelling. With five years of experience honing language for brands, she enjoys helping clients across sectors develop the foundational work that allows them to win for years. A graduate of Tufts and Columbia University, her formal study of writing allows her to bring clarity to every brand experience. What excites her is finding that one thing that motivates every part of a business, from CFO to CMO, from internal deck to global campaign, from elevator one-liner to fireside chat. Every industry interests her, but she’s most drawn to clients with incredibly challenging problems and high-talent teams.

Rachel has successfully managed accounts across diverse sectors–from government to tech startups– ensuring that each client’s unique goals are realized. Her expertise lies in delivering outstanding client services, characterized by her strong organizational skills, personable approach, and ability to anticipate client needs. Rachel thrives in a fast-paced environment, working with Fazer’s hardcore account management team to stay on track with timelines and meet deadlines. What truly motivates Rachel is the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with clients, fostering trust and collaboration to drive success.

As Co-Founder and CEO of The Charles Group, Aaron Edwards leads an award-winning digital creative agency with offices in New York, Chicago, and London. Originally from Manchester, England, he transitioned from Financial Analysis at Barclays Capital to establish The Charles with his sister Samantha in New York in 2010. His data-driven approach helped shape the agency’s growth, now partnering with brands like IBM, Netflix, Bloomberg, and Cartier. The Charles is recognized as one of INC5000’s fastest-growing creative agencies in the U.S.

John Dunleavy is a global advertising, media and communications executive best known for leading award-winning agencies and advising the most iconic brands in the world. He has held senior roles at WPP, IPG and Publicis, working with some of the most respected global marketers, including Coca-Cola, Diageo, IBM, Kimberly-Clark, Lenovo, Microsoft, Qualcomm, SAB Miller, Unilever, Verizon and Sony. John most recently served as President, McCann Worldgroup, North America, where he led a network of multi-disciplinary agencies and a 3,000-strong team, generating annual revenues of over $800 million.<br><br> At Fazer, John drives cross-functional collaboration and accelerates opportunities for growth across the full marketing funnel. He is adept at integrating agency assets and teams to execute world-class creative strategies. His work has been recognized by the industry with his teams winning hundreds of creative and effectiveness awards, including the Cannes Lions Network of the Year, numerous coveted Cannes Lions Grand Prix’s and the Clio for Advertiser of the Year.

Saleenah is a multifaceted designer whose passions include digital art, film photography, and mural making. She earned a B.F.A. in Communication Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. From creating from the ground up to evolving from within, Saleenah approaches design with a spirit of discovery. To her, brands are like people—brimming with unique characteristics, personalities, and quirks. Saleenah’s talents lie in transforming these distinctive traits into engaging systems that truly resonate with audiences.

Justin has worked as a UI/UX and product designer for over ten years. He studied Symbolic Systems and History at Stanford University. His experience includes founding a mental health startup backed by Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia, designing at Uber as a Kleiner Perkins Fellow, and leading design at Parlio, Quora’s first acquisition.<br><br> In the past few years, Justin has helped 30+ startups raise $700m+ with his slide decks and rebrands. Justin is a trusted ‘design mercenary’ for countless fast-moving startups that need to solve complex product and growth problems in short timeframes.

David studied Graphic Design at Central St Martins in London and landed some years later in executive management at global level. Bringing a less traditional perspective to the management table while at Ogilvy, WPP, and Publicis in New York, his client partnerships ranged from American Express, IBM, General Motors, Jaguar, Ford, P&G, Starwood, Sheraton Hotels, Enron, National Westminster Bank, Sprint, Sony, British Airways.<br><br> A dual UK/US national, David also has a 10-year business visa for China. Over the years he has been business partners in companies specializing in Surgical Education, Digital Identity and industrialized mass housing solutions now Boxable based in Las Vegas. He also co-founded the BIG group at Ogilvy NYC (now part of WPP Superunion in 2018) and the Brand Optimization Systems group at D’Arcy NYC, which became Publicis North America.

Hardy brings 8 years of experience in corporate strategy and finance, specializing in go-to-market planning, sales management, and acquisitions for companies ranging from small startups to Global 1000 corporations. His cross-disciplinary background, anchored by undergraduate studies in art history and a Masters of Business Administration, both from NYU, gives him the mix of creativity and technical expertise required to drive clients’ new initiatives from idea stage to reality. Hardy enjoys operating at the intersection of abstract thought and disciplined financial analysis.

Erin Northern is an account manager with over a decade of experience in managing client relationships and driving business growth across a variety of industries. She specializes in building and nurturing client relationships and thrives in overseeing complex projects. What drives Erin is her passion for being a servant leader and a consistent resource to those around her. She believes happier people create healthier businesses and sustainable cultures.

Cameron Boswell is a School of The Art Institute of Chicago graduate with a lifelong passion for the arts. His work in advanced figure studies, product design and visual communication design, alongside his personal art, has informed his process of taking ideas from concept into the visual world. As a designer, Cameron embarks on creative explorations that are grounded in his personal motto: “Keep going.”