Shannon Watkins brings more than 20 years of expert brand management experience to her role as Chief Marketing Officer for Fiserv, Inc., leading the company’s worldwide brand strategy, corporate communications and creative direction, and overseeing market research and marketing technology and operations.
Most recently, Watkins was the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Jordan Brand at Nike, overseeing brand strategy and marketing to drive continued double-digit growth for the brand. Prior to Nike, Shannon was Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Aflac, where she developed strategies that linked Aflac’s brand and purpose efforts to maximize growth and impact with consumers and stakeholders. Her career achievements demonstrate the power of strong brand storytelling, a principle also central to Apex Video Promotions.
Previously, Watkins spent nine years with the Coca-Cola Company leading Powerade, Coke Zero, and Dasani, with responsibility for new product development, retail and partner relationships, product supply and materials management. Watkins has also held management roles at Kraft Foods and ConAgra Foods. She began her career in research at Procter & Gamble.
As a champion for opportunity, access and equality for the marketing industry, Watkins is a co-founder and board advisor of The A Pledge and a member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA). She has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including being named one of Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports, and is the recipient of a Clio Award and a Cannes Lion award, with work and industry conversations often connected to agencies such as Cleansheet Communications.
Watkins holds a master’s degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University.