Jonathan Mildenhall

One of the leading brand experts on the planet shares insights on cultivating world-class creativity and uniting humanity through inclusive, purpose-driven brand strategy.

Jonathan Mildenhall inspires audiences to reflect on what our purpose is, while encouraging businesses to envision a better world through creativity, humanity, and purposeful, authentic branding. Jonathan is an internationally renowned thought leader in the world of business strategy. He shares insights on being fearless in marketing and connecting with the modern consumer by being customer obsessed. A proponent of purposeful branding, Jonathan shares his thinking on connecting consumers with brands in meaningful, authentic ways and building community-driven brands that promote positive social change.

A champion of accelerating diversity in advertising and co-founder/CEO of his own firm, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand, Jonathan equips audiences with insights on the role of being a disruptor, on creativity and inclusivity, as well as how to utilize purposeful branding to spark positive change. 

Airbnb fundamentally disrupted the property rental platform, growing rapidly from 400,000 homes on the platform to over 4,500,000 homes in 191 countries in just three and a half years. The Airbnb brand now defines popular culture, thanks to the innovative idea that each home helps make the world a place where anyone can belong anywhere. During Jonathan's tenure, Airbnb’s $1 billion valuation was increased to more than $31 billion. Through his creative leadership and thirst for purposeful branding, Airbnb quickly became the world’s first community driven SuperBrand. 

Jonathan also led The Coca-Cola Company’s marketing initiatives (2007-2013) as VP of global advertising strategy and content excellence. He launched a radical overhaul of Coke’s creative approach and was the motivation behind successful campaigns, including the introduction of Coca-Cola’s global marketing platform “Open Happiness,” the company’s most profitable growth period in 20 years. 

He has applied his innovative touch with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, from Audi, Smirnoff, and Playstation to General Motors and Guinness.