Douglas Conant

Douglas R. Conant is a New York Times bestselling author and keynote speaker with over 35 years of leadership experience at world-class global companies. In 2011, he founded ConantLeadership, a community dedicated to improving the quality of leadership in the 21st century. He also serves as Chairman of the Kellogg Executive Leadership Institute (KELI) at Northwestern University, and Chairman of Avon Products.

From 2001 to 2011, Conant served as CEO and President of the Campbell Soup Company. He was the 11th leader of this iconic company's 141-year history, tasked with reversing a significant decline in market value. Conant transformed the global leadership team, reconfigured the portfolio, cut costs, and made strategic investments, resulting in cumulative shareholder returns in the top tier of the global food industry. His efforts significantly improved employee engagement levels at Campbell Soup, taking them from among the worst in the Fortune 500 to consistently among the best. The company received multiple recognitions, including the "Great Workplace Award" from Gallup for four consecutive years and the 2010 Catalyst Award. It was also celebrated as a leader in social responsibility and ethical leadership under his tenure.

Conant earned his BA degree from Northwestern University and his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. His early career included marketing roles at General Mills, leadership positions in marketing and strategy at Kraft, and serving as President of the Nabisco Foods Company where he led his team to five consecutive years of double-digit earnings growth.

Conant is a respected voice on effective and enduring leadership practices for the modern age. He co-authored the New York Times bestseller "Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments" with Mette Norgaard. A featured blogger on leadership issues at Harvard Business Review online, he also writes extensively about leadership on the ConantLeadership Blog and on LinkedIn. In addition, Conant is actively involved with several boards, including the National Organization on Disabilities, the Partnership for Public Service, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He continues to advocate for ethical practices and corporate responsibility, emphasizing a people-first approach to leadership.