For more than 25 years, Nader has advised and taught organisations ranging from internet and high-tech start-ups to over 30 Global Fortune 500 companies. He has helped define brands' purpose, DNA and portfolio strategy; served as an expert witness in brand disputes, representing celebrities, multi-nationals, and countries; provided brand due diligence in M&A; designed and directed brand and digital transformation academies for several global companies; is an award-winning case writer and launched Coursera’s first massive open online course (MOOC) on brand management.
Why are you taking part in the Walpole Summit?
The Walpole Summit is a great opportunity to look beyond my current interests and challenges, and to consider fresh ideas more broadly. I have a thick notebook from past events, that has served me well in my roles as educator, consultant and coach.
Can you give us a couple of the key insights you will share during the event?
I have spent the past decade advising luxury brands—from leading heritage brands to Walpole Brands of Tomorrow—on how to define and redefine their brand DNA in order to meet commercial objectives. There is an inherent tension of being coherent with ones identity while disrupting category norms to stand out and take a leadership role. My presentation will provide practical examples of how brands have managed to resolve this tension by using their DNA to challenge category norms.
What do you see as the most important opportunities ahead for both your brand and the luxury sector?
My brand is London Business School which is, in many ways, a luxury brand. I have long considered the client experience as a core differentiator for any brand (see my free MOOC attended by over 200,000 participants https://www.coursera.org/learn/brand) and previously launched the eBusiness programme at the MIT Sloan School of Business. Combining those two themes, I believe that inventing and consistently delivering omnichannel digital plus physical experiences is required for luxury brands to flourish. COVID-19 has been a wake-up call for all, including my own teaching.
What do you see as the greatest challenges ahead for both your brand and the luxury sector?
For my brand, which may be similar to the Indie brand revolution in luxury, the biggest challenge is how to stay true to ones DNA and purpose, in order to thrive in the face of an army of EduTech start-ups while facing financial difficulties.
Why are these events so important to you, your business and the sector as a whole?
On the one hand, events like these allow me to take time out of my busy schedule to learn in an unguided way and to make new connections.
