Lisa Baird

Lisa Baird is the chief marketing officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee. As the USOC’s CMO, Baird directs its sales and marketing division and oversees the development of innovative corporate sponsorship and licensing programs. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Baird speaks to a wide range of clients regarding important business strategies and ideals and about being involved in a purpose-driven organization.

An Olympic-Sized Job. At the USOC, Baird is responsible for sponsorship and licensing sales for consumer products and media, where she delivers maximum return on investment to the USOC’s family of corporate partners, while leveraging the unique attributes of the U.S. Olympic Team brand. She also works on overhauling the USOC’s new media strategy. Since joining, she has added new corporate partners, renewed others, and improved the overall health of the USOC. Her goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team relevant outside the two weeks of the Games.

Prior to the Olympics. Baird joined the USOC from Brand Value Advisors, a consultancy advising private equity, merger and acquisition, and venture capital clients, where she was a partner. She has also held senior-level marketing positions with major, global organizations.

From 2005–2007, Baird served as senior vice president, marketing and consumer products for the National Football League (NFL), where she directed the league’s consumer products, direct marketing, e-commerce, entertainment marketing and advertising programs. She oversaw a portfolio of more than 150 licensees that delivered $3 billion in retail sales. Baird developed the league’s first consumer generated ads for the 2006 Super Bowl, launched the league’s first youth and Hispanic websites, and helped develop NFLShop.com into one of the premier e-commerce sites in sports. She also launched the first virtual sports world for kids, NFLRushZone.com.

From 1999–2005, Baird worked at IBM, first as vice president, advertising and then as senior vice president, worldwide integrated marketing communications. She led IBM’s global marketing initiatives, including the development and execution of advertising, sports marketing, direct marketing, digital marketing, and media campaigns in 70 countries. Additionally, she was responsible for the IBM e-business campaign that won the 2006 Grand Effie Award, as well as numerous advertising, direct marketing, and web awards.

From 1996–1999, Baird held a series of marketing positions at General Motors, including serving as the chief creative officer of e-GM and the director of marketing and sales. Prior to that, she worked in positions with leading consumer products companies like Bristol Meyers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble.

Awards. Baird was named one of the top business-to-business marketers in 2004, and she received the Women in Sports & Events 2011 Women of the Year Award.