Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast

As 2021 comes to a close, we put together a not-so-quick compilation of our favorite moments from all of the great conversations we had over the past year. So sit back with a beverage of choice, enjoy, and PLEASE DO share our podcast with a friend (and leave us a review) — it makes a big difference! Got a guest idea or want to ask a question? Email us! pgalumpod@gmail.com We can’t wait for you to hear what’s next in the new year! Heard someone you liked? Be sure to go back and check out their full episode. Featuring the voices of our amazing guests... Najoh Tita-Reid: Logitech Head of Marketing Reinvention Kirk Perry: Google's former President of Brand Solutions Zena Arnold: Kimberly Clark’s Chief Marketing & Digital Office Tarang Amin: e.l.f. Beauty CEO & Chairman Tiana Conley: Kellogg’s VP of Global Cereal Mohan Mohan: P&G former international leader (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Jim Lafferty, Fine Hygienic Holding, CEO Emily Chang: McCann Worldgroup China, CEO Shelly McNamara: P&G’s Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer Gurcharan Das: P&G’s former head of India, Author & Scholar Michelle Crossan: Samsung Electronics’ SVP of Strategy, Innovation & Transformation Jorge Mesquita: Johnson & Johnson’s former Executive Vice President Charlotte Otto: P&G’s former Global External Relations Officer Dian Alyan: GiveLight Foundation Founder & CEO A.G. Lafley: P&G’s former Chairman & CEO Mark Tatum: NBA Deputy Commissioner & Chief Operating Officer Noel Geoffroy: Sanofi President, North America Consumer Healthcare Brian McNamara: GSK Consumer Healthcare CEO Amanda Clark: Papa John’s Chief Development Officer Karan Bajaj: Whitehat Jr. Founder & CEO Sylvie Moreau: Coty’s former President of Professional Beauty Jim Stengel: P&G former Global Marketing Officer Remi Kent: 3M’s SVP & Chief Marketing Officer Tom Kuhn: PGA Tour, VP of Marketing Teri List: former CFO, the Gap, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kraft Foods Jay Sethi: Diageo Beer Company CMO & SVP of Diageo Convenience North America Lisa Gevelber: Google’s Chief Marketing Officer for the Americas Jim Taylor: Arby’s President Silvia Dávila: Danone - President of Latin America Kevin Clayton: Cleveland Cavaliers, VP of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement Julio Nemeth: P&G’s Chief Product Supply Officer Kristi Zuhlke: Founder & xCEO, KnowledgeHound Gordon Brunner: P&G’s Former Chief Technology Officer Matt Story: Visa’s VP of Global Marketing Partnerships & Advocacy Yolanda Talamo: Heineken Chief People Officer Brian Niccol: Chipotle Mexican Grill, CEO & Chairman Jorge Uribe: former P&G Latin America leader Keila Lazardi: Revlon Chief Scientific Officer Craig Bahner: Sara Lee Frozen Bakery CEO Tiyale Hayes: BET SVP of Brand Strategy & Marketing Jamal Muashsher: Valvoline President of Global Products Joe Arcuri: American Greetings CEO Peg Wyant: P&G’s first female Brand Manager, Grandin Properties Founder & CEO Stefan K. James: Nationwide Insurance AVP of Marketing Bob Gilbreath: Hearty CEO & Co-founder Alicia Enciso: Nestlé USA’s Chief Marketing Officer George Felix: Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer Mark Mercurio: Gorilla Glue President & CEO Luis Silberwasserat: Univision - President, TV Networks

“It's not just one Latino or one Hispanic group, it's much more nuanced. It's less about the language and more about who we are and what our role is in this country.”  Luis Silberwasser is Univision’s President of the Television Networks Group, where he oversees the company's TV networks, as well as its entertainment, news and sports divisions along with its ops and tech teams. Luis is a seasoned, award-winning TV executive with 25+ years’ experience building TV networks and creating entertainment content focusing on International, U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Prior to joining Univision, Luis served as Telemundo Networks’ President where he modernized the brand and transformed the company’s content strategy. Earlier in his career, Luis served as Discovery Networks EVP and Chief Content Officer, having risen through the company’s senior ranks. And of course, Luis got his start in brand management at P&G in Beauty Care. Luis studied industrial engineering at Georgia Tech, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. Luis is a proud dual citizen of the United States and Columbia, passionate about Futbol, History, and Latin music, and lives in Miami with his wife and four children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about creating content that resonates across cultures and generations. 

“Don’t measure success by traversing processes and challenges - but if you win once it gets in the hands of consumers.” Mark Mercurio is President and CEO of The Gorilla Glue company, a leading, family-owned producer of consumer-branded Glues, Tapes, and Personal Care products based in Cincinnati, Ohio - and often ranked as one of the best places to work in the city. Before becoming CEO in 2019, Mark served as the company’s CMO and President of their International Business. Prior to Gorilla Glue, Mark spent ten years at P&G in marketing roles across Fabric Care, Surface Care, trade marketing, and Pet Care. Mark started his career with Accenture as an IT management consultant. Mark studied Civil Engineering at the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from the University of Virginia. Mark also serves as a Vice-Chair on the Board of Trustees at the Children’s Home of Cincinnati. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about managing transition to a family-owned business, and the importance of integrating fun at work as a competitive advantage - especially in today’s marketplace.

“Don’t get caught chasing what you think you have to chase. Figure out what you want to go do - and you’ll ultimately be happier and more successful” George Felix is Tinder’s Chief Marketing Officer - where he leads the global brand vision, strategy, and operations for the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world. Previously, George spent 6 years at Yum! Brands in roles of rising seniority - most recently as CMO of Pizza Hut U.S. - where he led a new brand positioning and advertising campaign that delivered three consecutive quarters of sales growth including. George was also KFC’s marketing director for global and brand communications. During his time at Yum, George was named AdAge’s Marketer of the Year, KFC’s “ Return of Colonel Sanders'' campaign was named AdAge’s Campaign of the Year, and KFC was listed as a “Top 10 Brand.” George spent 6 years at P&G, rising through the ranks of brand management working on Old Spice and Mobile Marketing - leading campaigns that won 10 Cannes Lions, 2 Effies, and even an Emmy (for Best Commercial). George studied at the University of Notre Dame and received his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and 2 children. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about listening to your gut instinct vs what society (or even your parents) want you to do - pivoting when you realize something isn’t working, and always adapting and learning.

“When you face challenges, the more you imagine finding positive outcomes is important to finding a different solution.” Alicia Enciso is Nestlé USA’s first ever Chief Marketing Officer - leveraging marketing as a force for good across the industry - in multicultural marketing, plant-based innovation, ​​and scaling mentorship  for underrepresented groups. Alicia has served at Nestlé since 2013, starting as a VP of Communications in Mexico. Prior to Nestlé Alicia was Managing Director of the Zyman Group - a media consultancy where she led the group’s operations in Mexico developing growth strategies for Fortune 500 companies. And Alicia spent eleven years at P&G - starting in Latin America and rising through the ranks across Personal Care, Home Care and Paper Divisions, where in 1997 she led P&G’s then-largest Latin American acquisition, creating a new Paper Division for the region.  Alicia studied at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and Harvard University - and serves as the Vice-Chair of the ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing. In this role - she works with fellow industry leaders to help drive equality, inclusion and systemic change in the marketing ecosystem and society. You’ll enjoy this positive, candid conversation about leaning into challenging opportunities and learning through action, positivity, and perseverance. 

As 2021 comes to a close, we wanted to share an amazing donation - and winning - opportunity for ALL of our end-of-year giving. pgalums.com/raffle pgalums.com/donate https://pgalumnifoundation.org The P&G Alumni Foundation creates economic empowerment opportunities for those in need around the world - providing marginalized communities sustainable paths to prosperity. As a registered nonprofit with HUNDREDS of volunteers around the world - the P&G Alumni Foundation does this each year by providing grants to some AMAZING organizations - funded through contributions by P&G Alumni and podcast listeners around the world. The P&G Alumni Foundation is creating REAL, impactful economic opportunities for local communities - across rural Africa and Asia, in urban Mumbai and Cincinnati, as well as so many other amazing and deserving programs around the world - powered by P&G people. And for the month of December - to accelerate ALL of our year end giving, we’ve got TWO really exciting opportunities that we hope will motivate YOU to donate to the great work of the P&G Alumni Foundation.  1. Thanks to the generosity of former P&G CEO John Pepper and his wife Francie, all year-end donations of ANY size will be matched, dollar for dollar. 2. And to make things even more interesting - all donations given in the month of December will ALSO make you eligible to win a 30-minute Zoom call with some of our most prominent Alumni. Your donation - of any size - will enter you for the chance to win a conversation with folks like... AG LAFLEY - former P&G CEO  PAUL POLMAN - former Unilever CEO  BRACKEN DARRELL - Logitech CEO  SILVIA DAVILLA - Danone President BENNO DORER - former Clorox CEO ...and many more accomplished Alumni leaders Learn more on how to donate - AND win a chance for an amazing 1:1 Alumni conversation - at pgalums.com/raffle. Or you can simply give - and have your donations matched by John & Francie Pepper at pgalums.com/donate No donation is too small, or too big - and it’s never too late to start giving back. Your donation is tax deductible - and through the power of P&G people - will be put to great use uplifting communities around the world! 

“Being an entrepreneur gives you life and business experiences you don’t see on the corporate side. Those can make you a better business leader.” Bob Gilbreath is an accomplished entrepreneur - currently the CEO & Co-founder of Hearty - a professional recommendation network where great people and companies find each other. Bob was previously the Co-Founder and CEO of Ahalogy, a leading influencer marketing company with clients such as P&G, Coca-Cola and Kroger - ultimately acquired by Quotient technologies. And before jumping into startups, Bob was a partner at Bridge Worldwide, a leading digital agency acquired by WPP to become POSSIBLE, where Bob served as Chief Strategy Officer. Bob literallywrote the book on ‘Marketing with Meaning’ (McGraw-Hill). Bob also worked at P&G on big brands like Tide but also launching new innovations like Fit Fruit & Vegetable Wash, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and Mr. Clean Auto Dry. - for which he was named an AdAge Top 50 Marketer. Bob has an MBA in Marketing from NYU/Stern and a BA in Economics from Duke University. A husband, father, mentor, avid reader and writer, Bob also may or may not be able to play the guitar. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about what it really means to be an entrepreneur, and the real dividend that comes from challenging yourself every day. 

“How do you change the dynamic - where you have others with diverse thoughts and culture - so you're not alone?” Stefan K. James is Nationwide Insurance’s AVP of Marketing for Personal Lines B2C Business. Prior to Nationwide, Stefan helped launch and accelerate SwitchedOn Training - a brain training app for athletes and pro coaches. Stefan spent ten years at Pepsi as a Marketing Insights Director on brands like Tropicana and Quaker Oat, and got his start at P&G working in CMK on brands like Herbal Essences, Pantene, Mr Clean and Swiffer, and Febreze. Stefan studied Public Relations at Florida A&M University and received his Masters in International Business from Nova Southeastern University. As a proud husband and father, Stefan’s accomplishments go far beyond boy bands and podcast appearances. You’ll enjoy this candid, nerdy conversation that frames privilege and perspective alongside career motivations and ownership.

“Outsiders bring fresh thinking to the table. Some of my biggest contributions were because I thought differently and spoke my own mind all the time.” Peg Wyant is the Founder & CEO of Grandin Properties. But before that, Peg broke the glass ceiling at Procter & Gamble in 1967 - a decade before the phrase entered the lexicon. When the company tried to put her in the typing pool, she responded with “all I can do is think, don’t you have a test for that.” She rose through the ranks, becoming a serial “first female” including first brand manager and first direct report to then CEO John Smale as head of strategic planning and acquisitions. After leaving P&G to become an almost full-time mom, Peg sought other challenges — consulting for Fortune 500 CEOs, and founding a venture capital fund focused on women-led companies. Peg soon launched Grandin Properties, a real estate development and management company focusing on walkable urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Beyond her career, Peg helped found the P&G Alumni Network and the Women’s Capital Club. Peg’s new book is called One Red Shoe: The Story of Corporate America’s First Woman. Alongside her husband Jack, Peg has four children and nine grandchildren. You’ll enjoy this insightful conversation about what it takes to persevere when the odds may be against you, to challenge the status quo, outperform, and break through boundaries.

“Keep the consumer in the room. Don’t spend time on things that don’t matter to her.” Joe Arcuri is the CEO of American Greetings which includes brands like American Greetings, Papyrus, and Carlton cards. He was also previously the CMO of the PGA Tour and President of home solutions for Newell Rubbermaid. Joe got his start at P&G, first in product development and later in brand management, where we rose through the ranks to VP and GM roles in North America Beauty, Global Personal Cleansing, and Western Europe Family Care. During his P&G career, Joe worked across brands like Vicks, Olay, Gillette, Old Spice, Secret and Ivory. Joe studied Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech University and received his MBA from Duke University. You’ll enjoy hearing about Joe’s track record for revitalizing brands and building strong cultures - and a candid conversation about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.