Amid shifting markets and trends, climate change and sustainability needs, the era of Web3 and the rapid transformation of social media, the future of the designer is wide open.

New and emerging design talent will be a key topic of discussion at the 2022 FN CEO Summit, to take place on Aug. 3 in New York at Manhattan’s famed Plaza Hotel.

Joining the panel, led by FN Style Director Shannon Adducci, will be Will Cooper, Saks Fifth Avenue’s SVP and GMM for women’s shoes, handbags and accessories. The buyer has spent more than 17 years at the retailer.

Also joining the panel is Marina Larroudé, founder of rising contemporary brand Larroudé, which received the Launch of the Year prize at the 2021 Footwear News Achievement Awards (FNAA).

Cooper and Larroudé will also be joined by Tina Bhojwani, co-founder and CEO of sustainable footwear brand Aera, along with Amina Means, founder and designer of rising brand Nalebe.

Other confirmed speakers to date for the 2022 FN CEO Summit include an all-star lineup of executives and retailers: Dick Johnson, Foot Locker Inc. chairman and CEO; Sarah Mensah, VP and GM of Nike North America; Diane Sullivan, chairman and CEO of Caleres; Neil Clifford, CEO of Kurt Geiger; Scott Schaefer, CEO of Zappos.com; and D’Wayne Edwards, founder of Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design.

In addition, FDRA president and CEO Matt Priest will be in conversation with Genesco Inc. president and CEO Mimi Vaughn.

Sponsors of FN’s CEO Summit include FDRA, NuORDER by Lightspeed and Aetrex. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, email Amanda Smith at [email protected].

For the first time ever, the event will be held in tandem with FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s “Women Who Rock” event celebrating the women in power from all corners of the industry. The summit day will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by “Women Who Rock,” which kicks off at 5 p.m.

Registration for the 2022 FN CEO Summit can be found here. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements for both events.