Shannon Brayton

A visionary marketing leader with roots in Silicon Valley's transformative era, she began her journey at Intuit in 1994 and has since become one of the industry's most influential voices in corporate storytelling and brand building. Today, she serves as Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Bessemer Venture Partners, where she channels her expertise into helping promising consumer, enterprise, and healthcare startups shape their narrative and market presence.

Her illustrious career includes a remarkable decade-long tenure as Chief Marketing Officer at LinkedIn, where she not only revolutionized the platform's marketing strategy but also had the distinct honor of conducting intimate conversations with global luminaries such as Richard Branson, Chelsea Clinton, Reed Hastings, Reid Hoffman, and Michelle Obama on prominent stages.

Recognition of her exceptional leadership hasn't gone unnoticed - Forbes Magazine named her among the world's most influential CMOs for three consecutive years, while PRWeek aptly described her as "a force of nature any company would want on their side." Her current board positions at Reputation, Quizlet, and KQED further cement her status as a trusted business leader.

Beyond her operational excellence and world-class leadership capabilities, she finds profound fulfillment in mentoring marketing and communications professionals at various stages of their careers, helping shape the next generation of industry leaders.

Based in Burlingame, California, she balances her professional life with family time, sharing her home with her husband and two teenagers. When not crafting marketing strategies or mentoring professionals, she can be found analyzing current events, exploring new destinations with her family, or tackling the daily New York Times crossword puzzle - a testament to her perpetual love for intellectual challenges.