Soon Yu is an international speaker and author on innovation and design. He most recently served as the Global VP of Innovation and Officer at VF Corporation, parent organization to over thirty global apparel companies, including The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Nautica, and Wrangler. He has been a founder and CEO for numerous venture-backed startups and was recognized as a Northern California finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year" award. Prior to this he worked at Bain and Company, The Clorox Company, and Chiquita Brands, where he won company-wide awards for best advertising, best promotion, and best new product, and gained industry recognition from the Webby Award, Favorite Website Award and Dope Award. He frequently guest lectures at Stanford University, where he received his MBA, and is an adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design.
Dave Birss is a former advertising creative director who has worked for some of the UK's largest ad agencies. That has led to him working with many of the world's biggest brands across most media channels. He's a respected speaker and writer on creativity and innovation. In 2016, Dave founded
OpenForIdeas.org, a popular online magazine focused on demystifying creativity. He's also a television broadcaster, a patented inventor, an illustrator, and a musician.
