Marcie Merriman

Marcie Merriman is an internationally recognized leader in cultural anthropology and brand strategy, having her work featured on CNBC, BBC and Bloomberg, and in publications, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. She is also a frequent keynote speaker at top global forums, including Dubai’s Global Islamic Economic Summit, Forbes’ CMO Summit, and EY’s Strategic Growth Forum, and was named to the Top 25 Consultants of 2019 list by Consulting Magazine, recognized for Excellence in Leadership.

Merriman has spent 25 years working with companies like Nike, Toyota, UnitedHealth Group, Mars, Pepsi and Royal Caribbean to anticipate disruption and propel growth through consumer-led strategies. Her passion lies in connecting the dots between human needs, market influencers and business requirements to enable business innovation and growth. She is especially focused on leveraging her experience and intimate knowledge of Millennials and Gen Z to help clients differentiate their businesses and tap growth opportunities with these complex and ever-changing cohorts.

Within EY, Merriman leads a practice focused on helping organizations understand the nuances of human behaviors and the organizational implications that can be addressed through improved experiences, including the deployment of digital technologies. Prior to joining EY, Merriman was an executive with both L Brands and Toys R Us, as well as a successful entrepreneur: first, as a partner in global retail design firm, Big Red Rooster, then as founder of experience strategy firm, PrimalGrowth.

Merriman holds an Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, with a focus on marketing strategy. She earned a BA in Social Sciences from Michigan State University, where she focused her studies on anthropology and sociology. Merriman currently sits on the board of advisors for ICSC NEXUS Conference and is a contributor to Women’s Wear Daily, Retail Dive and Quartz at Work.