Warren F. Kornblum

Warren Kornblum has extensive senior executive leadership experience within the private sector as both an entrepreneur and C-Level executive in a $2B privately held retail/wholesaler, as an executive and Executive Committee member at a Fortune 100 public company and also in a leadership capacity with companies held by private equity ownership.

Canadian-born Kornblum opened his first marketing agency in Toronto, which quickly became one of the fastest-growing brand resources in Canada and, eventually, the United States. He sold the agency in 1996. After the sale, Warren moved to New York as Managing Partner at Bozell Worldwide and head of the company’s global retail endeavor, Bozell Retail. Kornblum also led the agency’s largest account Verizon Wireless. He spent 3 years at Bozell before being recruited to join the senior management team at the then-Fortune 100 retailer Toys "R" Us.

Kornblum was the Global Chief Marketing Officer and a member of the Executive Committee at Toys "R" Us for almost six years. He was responsible for all marketing functions across the company’s six divisions in twenty-seven countries. During his tenure, he reinvigorated one of the great retail icons "Geoffrey the Giraffe", the famous jingle “I don’t want to grow up I’m a Toys 'R' Us Kid,” and was pivotally involved in the development and execution of the retailer's global flagship store in Times Square which until its closing in 2015 was recognized as one of New York City’s most popular tourist destinations for families. Under his leadership Toys “R” Us brand advertising won numerous awards along with gaining significant increases in both brand awareness and consumer affinity. Warren led all brand marketing functions and licensing and managed the company’s robust relationship with the film and television community in Hollywood as well as internationally.

After leaving Toys "R" Us when the company was acquired by private equity, Kornblum founded Shadow Branding Group to work directly with marketers on brand strategy, consumer marketing, and communication, as well as their growth initiatives. Kornblum also served as Chief Strategic Officer at Rooms To Go, one of America's foremost home furnishing retailers, between 2007 and 2016. At Rooms To Go, in addition to his marketing and strategy responsibilities, Warren was very involved in developing and executing ingredient brands, including Cindy Crawford Home, the Sofia Vergara Collection, Eric Church Furniture, the Disney Kids Collection, and the NFL Kids Collection.

In 2016, through Shadow Branding, he became Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive of Serta Simmons Bedding, an Advent-controlled company. In July 2017, Kornblum assumed additional responsibilities as Interim Chief Marketing Officer until SSB hired a full-time CMO at the end of 2018.

Kornblum is known for his business development acumen, people skills, and ability to drive growth. He understands the ever-changing influences on consumers and the need for equal competence in physical, digital, and omni-channel marketing.

With his passion for driving brand growth, Kornblum advocates for the power of brands and the need for them to stay in touch with their consumers by understanding their journey to purchase.

Kornblum’s experience being at the helm of legacy brands battling disruptive challengers as well as leading challenger brands as they strive to disrupt legacy businesses provides him with unique and practical perspectives.