Maryam Banikarim

Co-Founder, NYCNext & MaryamB LLC, Award-Winning Chief Marketing Officer, Fortune Managing Director, Most Powerful Women

Maryam Banikarim

Co-Founder, NYCNext & MaryamB LLC, Award-Winning Chief Marketing Officer, Fortune Managing Director, Most Powerful Women

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Biography

Maryam Banikarim is a seasoned C-suite executive with over 25 years of experience driving growth and transformation for global organizations, including Fortune Media, Nextdoor, Hyatt, Gannett, NBCUniversal, and Univision. Known for blending strategy, creativity, and operational execution, she has led global teams in sales, marketing, and operations, managing substantial budgets and P&Ls. Maryam combines strategic vision and operational rigor with a leadership style that values collaboration and relationships, enabling sustainable transformation that builds on the strengths of the past.

In 2023, Maryam led the award-winning “WE❤️NYC” campaign for The Partnership for New York City, re-energizing New Yorkers in the wake of the pandemic and fostering pride and support for the city's recovery. In 2024, she revitalized Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and Brainstorm Tech, raising Net Promoter Scores from 57 to 61 and securing record media coverage. Attendees praised the events as 'energizing,’ 'insightful,’ and ‘inclusive’ with many expressing a strong desire to return in the future.

During the pandemic, Maryam co-founded NYCNext, a grassroots movement to change the narrative about the city's recovery. Focused on energizing and inspiring others, NYCNext harnessed the power of New York’s creative community to help the city rebuild by creating moments of joy. NYCNext produced impactful events like A Moment for Broadway and the Emmy-winning New York State of Mind music video. Today, Maryam continues this mission through The Longest Table, a free, community-driven event that brings people together for shared meals and conversation, fostering stronger, more connected neighborhoods.

Recognized for her leadership in both business and community impact, Maryam has been named one of Fast Company's Top 10 Disrupters, Advertising Age’s Women to Watch, and one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in NYC by the New York Post. Maryam is a sought-after speaker, having delivered a TED Talk and the commencement address at Columbia University’s Business School.

Maryam serves on the Board of Trustees of Barnard College and as an independent director for One Spa World. She also sits on the boards of press advocacy organizations The Signals Network and Reporters Without Borders. Her honors include the Ellis Island Medal and the Columbia Alumni Medal.

She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a BA in Political Science from Barnard College. Maryam lives in New York City with her family and their dog, Charlie.

Speaker Videos

Finding Your Why

The Longest Table: Chelsea 2024

Creating Impact Through Community & Live Events with Maryam Banikarim, Fortune

Life’s an Obstacle Course — Here’s How To Navigate It | Maryam Banikarim | TED

Building The Longest Table for Neighborhood Communities ft. Maryam Banikarim, Co-founder of NYCNext

Beyond Business: Maryam Banikarim's Mission for a Better World

Maryam Banikarim's Hot Takes on New York, Career, and Community in 2023

The Recovering CMO Purpose Driven Change Agent

Chase Your Ideas Sometimes it's the Journey

The Longest Table The Table Can Always Get Longer

NYCNext: Why does Maryam Love New York

Go For It! And Other Advice for Young Marketers

We ♡ NYC

Simply Doing

The Genie's Out of the Bottle with Remote Work

Maryam's Hot Take on HBOMax vs. Max

Interview with Forbes

Columbia Business School Graduation 2021 Distinguished Speaker Remarks

Life is a Series of Choices

Great Marketing Begins with Purpose | Salesforce

Chaos & Curiosity

Make a Difference Day With Maryam Banikarim

You Have to Care About the Customer Experience

Communities Built on Connections

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Speech Topics

Leadership Through the Lens of Purpose

In her presentation "Building an Organization Through the Lens of Purpose," Maryam Banikarim explores the growing importance of purpose-driven organizations in inspiring employee commitment and customer engagement. She emphasizes that it's not just about what an organization makes, but what it stands for, and how leadership embeds this belief into its operations. By sharing case studies from companies such as Southwest Airlines, Hyatt, and Gannett, Maryam provides actionable steps for building an organization through the lens of purpose, leading to outperformance in the market. The presentation offers a compelling and energizing purpose-driven playbook that can be applied to any brand in any industry.

The Future of Corporate Culture & Customer Experience: Community is the New Cool

In her talk "Community is the New Cool," Maryam delves into the concept of community and its growing significance for companies aiming to connect with today's consumers. She discusses how modern brands are increasingly seeking to engage their most loyal customers and build "sticky" communities, providing valuable insights through best-in-class examples and case studies. The talk explores the role of companies in supporting and connecting with their communities, emphasizing the potential for business growth along the way. Maryam also offers a guide on how to create a successful community marketing strategy, highlighting the importance of identifying brand topics, developing effective community marketing strategies, and engaging in active customer conversations.

Life is an Obstacle Course: A Story of Perseverance & Community

In this compelling talk, the speaker shares her personal journey of navigating life's unexpected challenges, from the Iranian revolution to the sudden loss of her father and the global pandemic. She explores the concept of viewing life's hurdles not as obstacles, but as an obstacle course, a series of tests that can be overcome with determination, resilience, and a sense of community. The speaker's experiences serve as a testament to the power of perseverance and the potential for adversity to be transformed into opportunity. This talk is a must-watch for anyone seeking inspiration on how to turn life's challenges into stepping stones towards success.

Embracing the Unexpected: Finding Joy & Purpose in Life's Journey

Maryam Banikarim shared a personal and insightful journey reflecting on her experiences, from her childhood in Iran to her professional career, and the valuable lessons she has learned along the way. Maryam's narrative is interwoven with practical tips for finding meaning, community, and joy. She emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself, taking action, and embracing the journey of self-discovery. Through her engaging storytelling, Maryam offers a compelling and relatable perspective on navigating life's challenges and finding purpose. Her journey serves as a source of motivation for those navigating their own paths and seeking to cultivate a sense of community, purpose, and joy in their personal and professional lives.

Testimonials

"Thank you for sharing your story with us. We left empowered, inspired and ready to take action on our careers. We had many attendees share how much they loved your keynote, how it affected them, and they were going to action on it right away! Beyond amazing! Such a beautiful and inspiring journey. Loved the can-do, try and try again approach to find joy and meaningful use of your gifts. Maryam is an amazing speaker! I FELT her presentation. She told such a compelling, impactful & passionate story to illustrate how important clarity is for leaders. I am so glad to have had the chance to hear her speak. Brava! Certainly, earned her standing ovation.”

- Linkage

“Thank you for speaking at this year’s virtual CBS graduation for the Class of 2021. Your thoughtful and inspiring remarks resonated with those watching, and I know they enjoyed hearing your personal stories and key takeaways after graduation.”

- Columbia Business School

"You were amazing. Truly. You really customized your presentation to make it perfect for our audience. Thank you so much..."

- Cognizant

"You were the highlight of the day. So many compliments on your behalf came flooding in - you left a big fan base here. Thank you for the awesome inspiration and guidance. People are obsessed with you (in a good way)."

- Cienas Global

"Maryam's knowledge and energy combined with her sense of humor and creativity truly delights an audience and makes them excited to listen and learn. It's always a treat to hear her speak. I always learn something new."

- Advertising Week

"Maryam was a huge hit! Her candor, passion and honesty shines through and several participants told me she was one of the highlights of their experience."

- Northwestern Uiversity

"With wit and humor, Maryam's speaking style connects with audiences in a conversational manner. Her experience in disruption and reinvention allows her to speak on topics that both guide and inspire."

- TED

"Maryam has the experience and style that engages her audience. Her authenticity, combined with her deep content, and empathy for our work brought out some great discussion. My team cannot wait to have Maryam back."

- Walmart

"Maryam Banikarim is an engaging and vibrant speaker who was able to immediately establish a connection with the audience during her remarks. Her energy, sense of humor, and remarkable background made for a fascinating presentation on the work-life equation that kept the audience absorbed and led to a lively Q&A afterwards from many who wanted to hear more. Maryam’s candor and genuine desire to foster dialogue and support around women facing career transitions set her apart as a speaker and allowed for a truly valuable and high-impact event."

- Columbia Business School Women’s Circle Reception

“Maryam's keynote presentation at our International Women's Day event last year was nothing short of phenomenal. As a speaker, she possesses a rare ability to captivate and inspire. Maryam not only delivered an impactful message but also provided the audience with actionable tips on clarifying their goals. The overall feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive, underscoring Maryam's exceptional skill in leaving a lasting and empowering impression on our audience."

- Disney | International Women’s Day

“Thank you again for making our first MENARA Summit a resounding success. The feedback has been absolutely overwhelming, and we could not have done it without you! One of our leaders said to me “we need more people like her coming to speak to us.”

- Pfizer

“With wit and humor, Maryam’s speaking style connects with audiences in a conversational manner. Her experience in disruption and reinvention allows her to speak on topics that both guide and inspire.”

- She Runs It