Omar Johnson

Omar Johnson is the leadership and culture expert behind the rise of Beats by Dre, which he grew as Chief Marketing Officer from a 20 million dollar niche player into a 3 billion dollar Apple acquisition. Named one of the “Most Innovative CMOs” by Business Insider and a “Brand Genius” by Adweek, Johnson has built marketing and culture strategy for Beats, Nike, Apple, Kraft, and Coca-Cola.

Building Culture-Shaping Brands

Johnson’s approach centers on the synergy of people, product, and storytelling. As former Vice President of Marketing at Apple and CMO at Beats, he led brand development, advertising, and global marketing campaigns that turned Beats into the top premium headphone brand across North America, the UK, and Asia. He is now CEO and founder of OPUS United and OPUS Intelligence Labs, a marketing technology company built around his Cultural Relevance Score framework.

A Voice on Leadership and Inclusion

Voted one of the Top 100 Black Thought Leaders, Johnson speaks on leadership, organizational culture, and the marketing strategies that build category-defining brands. His talks draw on real campaigns and real numbers, giving audiences a rare inside look at how iconic brands are actually built.

For organizations seeking a brand builder who can translate billion-dollar marketing wins into practical leadership lessons, Omar Johnson delivers a keynote that reshapes how teams think about culture and growth.

What does Omar Johnson speak about?

Omar Johnson speaks on leadership, organizational culture, and brand building, drawing on his experience growing Beats by Dre from a niche startup into a 3 billion dollar Apple acquisition.

What makes Omar Johnson a sought-after keynote speaker?

As the marketing mind behind Beats, Nike, and Apple campaigns and a Business Insider-named “Most Innovative CMO,” Johnson brings real numbers and real case studies to every talk on building culture-shaping brands.

Who books Omar Johnson?

Meeting planners book Omar Johnson for keynotes on marketing, brand strategy, and leadership where organizations want proven, real-world lessons from someone who has built category-leading brands from the ground up.

Leading Through AI: Navigating the New Frontier

Transformative Strategies For Modern Executives

At the heart of AI’s future, is the ability to operate intelligently and empathetically. As AI reshapes industries, companies and teams, it is crucial for today’s leaders to understand the strategic implications of AI. This happens with embracing human-centric AI to build and implement technologies that understand humanity.

In this interactive keynote experience, Omar unpacks how executives can harness AI’s potential to enhance decision-making, optimize operations, and foster innovation. You’ll explore practical AI applications that drive efficiency and competitiveness and learn to lead not just alongside AI, but in harmony with it, to elevate your organization in a data-driven era. You’ll also learn how to develop and implement human-centric AI systems that are designed to understand and interact with humans effectively. As a leader, you will gain insights into AI use that respects privacy and enhances lives without sacrificing the personal touch. Discover how in the age of AI, leadership is not about controlling algorithms–rather it is about collaborating with technology and humanity. Your leaders will walk away knowing how they can augment their capabilities with AI, from enhancing their analytical skills to automating routine tasks. They will also understand the qualities that define a successful AI-augmented leader and how to cultivate them within your teams. Lastly, they will be able to embrace AI tools that assist in making more informed, data-backed decisions to lead your organization into a new digital epoch.

B2h: Business To Human Marketing And Marketing 3.0 – What’s Next?

As the marketing mastermind behind Beats by Dre, Omar Johnson raised the bar on what it meant to go viral, elevated influencer marketing to a previously unimagined level, and turned Beats from a phenomenon into a movement. How? He believes that all marketing is B2H (Business to Human)–a human-centric approach to marketing that combines people, product, and storytelling to create amazing experiences and an authentic sense of purpose for your brand.  Drawing from his experiences at Nike, Beats, Apple and several tech startups, Omar shares his inside tips and methods for delivering incredible experiences to customers and employees.

As CEO of brand management firm ØPUS United and ØPUS  Intelligence Lab, a software company that is revolutionizing marketing tech through the use of Artificial Intelligence and other tools, Omar is once again at the forefront of “what’s next,” leading strategists, creatives, and technologists developing  the next generation of marketing breakthroughs and technologies.

In this timely talk, Adweek “Brand Genius” proves that whether you call them consumers, clients, or customers, people are human beings first—and marketers must look beyond data and numbers for insights that activate them at this universal level. He also looks at the world of modern marketing and media, where the rules of customer engagement have changed,  customer experience has lost its meaning, permission marketing rules, and customers themselves have become creators and social media influencers. Whether you’re a CEO, marketer, creative, or in the media, this enlightening talk will reveal what’s next—and give you actionable insights on preparing for a rapidly-changing future.

Leadership: Meeting People Where They Are

The idea of the majority workplace culture is changing. Instead of expecting everyone to fall in line, employees are encouraged to bring their individuality to work, such as their culture, gender, or sexual orientation. While celebrating and encouraging individual differences is good for breaking groupthink and innovating, it is also hard to manage as a leader. In this engaging and thought-provoking talk, Omar Johnson discusses the challenges and benefits of meeting people where they are. Audiences will come away with an understanding of employee differences, which can provide for a better work environment that enriches the company culture and the bottom line.

The Beats Story: Building A Winning Company Culture And International Brand

When Omar Johnson left marketing giant Nike to become employee #3 at a small, niche headphones company, no one could have imagined the phenomenal success story that was about to take place. Within four short years, Beats by Dre rose from $20 million to $2 billion in sales, beating out Bose to become  #1 in the category worldwide before being acquired by Apple for $3 billion. Along the way, Omar expanded the headphone market way beyond male audiophiles on airplanes to women, athletes, musicians, fashionistas, and celebrities. What’s more, he created his unconventional, breakthrough marketing on a comparatively shoestring budget. He also built a winning company culture that personified diversity, leading a flat organizational structure where ideas, creativity  and innovation flourished. In this entertaining and illuminating talk, Omar tells the inside story behind the Beats worldwide phenomenon—sharing lessons and insights for any organization aspiring to reinvigorate their culture, reinvent their industry, and activate their employees to reach for the stars.

Building Tech Companies From The Ground Up And Harnessing Ai

From Beats To Ai: Disrupting Tech And Saas With Vision And Leadership

Omar Johnson, the visionary marketing leader who transformed Beats by Dre into a cultural phenomenon, takes the stage to ignite your imagination about founding and growing tech companies. Now a successful tech entrepreneur and AI expert at Opus Intelligence, Omar will share his unique insights on harnessing the power of technology to disrupt industries and create groundbreaking experiences. His most recent success is Opus Intelligence, a tech company that is revolutionizing marketing, brands and the use of AI in the marketplace.