Shannon Watkins | Team Member

“For decades, corporations have experienced and celebrated a monolithic image of a CMO. I am excited to continue to expand the aperture of what CMO leadership is - a focus on both brand and enterprise growth. I am thrilled to join a community of exceptional C-Suite leaders focused on serving the organizations they represent, and the deep pipeline of diverse CMOs. ”

Shannon’s career in brand management has spanned more than 20 years across multiple industries and business sectors, including leadership roles in fintech, insurance, apparel and footwear, retail, franchise, and digital teams. She is passionate about, and uniquely skilled at, unlocking brand value to drive record-setting growth while closing health and wealth gaps for communities globally.

Building on experience transforming global brands, Shannon launched Watkins Brand Advisors — a strategic consultancy advising companies in the areas of brand and creative strategy, business model expansion, and customer experience.

Shannon most recently served as the EVP, Chief Brand Marketing and Communications Officer at Fiserv. Reporting to the CEO, Shannon led the transformation of Fiserv’s global marketing and communications 250-person organization, redefining structure, talent, and strategy to drive stronger brand impact, alignment, and operational efficiency. She also spearheaded the global relaunch of Clover, introduced a modern brand-building framework, and unlocked new levels of creative efficiency and scale through ad tech, integrated partnerships, and platform thinking.

Prior to Fiserv, Shannon served as the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Jordan Brand at Nike. As a member of the Jordan Brand Executive Team and NIKE, Inc.’s Worldwide Marketing Leadership Team, Shannon was responsible for leading brand strategy and marketing to drive continued double-digit growth for the global Jordan Brand. Prior to Nike, Shannon was SVP, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of Aflac, where she developed strategies that linked Aflac’s brand and purpose efforts to maximize growth and impact with consumers and stakeholders. Shannon guided Aflac through unprecedented market disruption by leveraging digital media, data, and emerging technologies to achieve the highest brand health scores in the company’s 65+ year history. With a focus on innovation, she oversaw all aspects of marketing and brand strategy, including Aflac’s in-house agency (The Aflac Studio). Prior to Aflac, Shannon worked at The Coca-Cola Company for nine years leading Powerade, Coke Zero, and Dasani. Her brand management responsibilities included new product development, retail and partner relationships, and product supply and materials management. Shannon also held management roles at Kraft Foods and ConAgra Foods and began her career in research for Procter & Gamble focused on product development for women of African descent globally.

Shannon’s recognition within the industry includes being named one of Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports and Marketing Vanguard; one of Diversity Woman Magazine’s Elite 100; She Runs It Quantum Leap Honoree; NYSE Collective Founding Member; and American Marketing Association Atlanta Marketer of the Year. Shannon is an award-winning executive producer and winner of a Clio and a Cannes Lion. She has helped guide the next generation of industry and management leaders as a Dean’s Council and Alumni Association Board Member at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA), and featured speaker at South by Southwest, Money 20/20, and Cannes Lion jurist. Shannon holds a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University (Biology) and earned a Master of Business Administration (Marketing, International Business) from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

Shannon lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and is married with one daughter, Zoie.