2026 PHOENIX EXPERIENCE
KEY NOTE SPEAKER
Rishad was a former Chief Strategist and Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe, one of the world’s largest communications and marketing companies. Rishad has spent decades helping organizations navigate the intersection of data and human intuition. He is well known as a Marketing Innovator by TIME magazine and has been inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame. His most recent book, Rethinking Work, addresses how independent businesses can adapt and lead in the age of artificial intelligence. His address will leave you with new ways of thinking about the road ahead.
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Executive Leadership: He previously held leadership roles as Chairman of Digitas and Razorfish, two of the world’s largest digital marketing agencies.
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Advisory and Boards: He serves as a trusted advisor to several Fortune 500 CEOs and sits on the boards of various technology and growth firms, including LoopMe, Growth Catalyst Partners, and Dumbstruck.
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Academic Involvement: Tobaccowala is a frequent lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has established the Tobaccowala Scholar Program there.
Published Works and Media
He focuses on helping organizations balance data-driven insights with human intuition—a concept he often refers to as "marrying the math and the magic".
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Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data (2020): His best-selling book explores how to maintain a human-centric approach in an increasingly digital world.
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Rethinking Work (2025): His latest book addresses the seismic shifts in the workplace due to AI, demographic changes, and the rise of distributed work.
