Niels is a global leader with 15+ years in senior roles at Walmart, Kantar, and GfK, where he built high-performing teams and scaled next-generation insights solutions across international markets. Today, as Managing Director at Human8, he helps the world’s most ambitious brands turn deep human understanding into meaningful differentiation and sustainable growth. He holds a PhD from European Business School and is the author of Market Research Institute International’s course "Evolving Methods in Market Research", bringing academic rigor, practical innovation, and future-ready thinking to the next generation of insights professionals.
Sessions
Apr 29
11:30 AM - 11:50 AM EDT
Green Stage
Brand & Growth Strategy
Emotional Engagement
The Human Spark: Bold Ideas for Brand Growth in the AI Era
Technology and AI have amplified consumer expectations and brand capabilities. Yet, as AI reshapes marketing, brands risk sliding into sameness: a loss of distinction, authenticity and growth. In this session, we explore how brands can thrive by reigniting the Human Spark: the creativity, cultural insight and community connection no algorithm can replicate. Key Takeaways: 1. Understanding the paradox: How AI accelerates marketing but erodes brand distinction 2. How people are reframing what matters to them against the backdrop of AI acceleration 3. Applying the Human Spark framework to unlock differentiation in an AI world
