Mary Zalla

Global President Consumer Brands
Managing Director of the Cincinnati and Chicago Offices, Landor
USA

Mary Zalla is global president consumer brands and managing director of the Cincinnati and Chicago offices at Landor. She brings over 20 years of practice and study on creativity, brand strategy, innovation, design, and organizational leadership. Mary has held a number of important positions at Landor including chief executive officer and president of Landor.

Throughout her more than 19 years at Landor, Mary has led brand development efforts across virtually every consumer packaged goods category, as well as in pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, travel and leisure, higher education, municipal branding, community activation, and more. Her work has involved the conceptual development of new brands, brand architecture analysis and design, competitive category analysis and visual and verbal brand identity development. Mary’s past and present clients have included Georgia Pacific, Kraft/Heinz, Lilly, Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee, JBS and S.C. Johnson.

Mary has authored articles on creativity, design and research, and has been quoted in many industry and consumer publications. She regularly speaks on these subjects and has presented at the Cannes International Creativity Festival, HOW Design Live, The Hub Brand Experience Symposium and many others. Mary was also the speaker at Northern Kentucky University’s (NKU) Spring 2013 Commencement.

In addition to being Vice Chair on the board of the Cincinnati Museum Center, Mary also sits on the NKU Foundation board, the Council of Trustees for Horizon Community Funds and is a member of the Cincinnati Women’s Executive Forum. She was also presented the 2017 NKU Outstanding Alumnus Award.

Mary enjoys spending time at her family farm and is the proud mother of 4 children: Elliot 14, Lucas 12, Aziza 12, and Cecilia 2. She also enjoys reading, cooking, entertaining, traveling and dirt biking.