Building Business Capability

Unleashing Creativity, November 11 - 15, 2019

For more than 20 years, Stephen Shapiro has presented his provocative strategies on innovation culture and collaboration to audiences in over 40 countries. During his 15-year tenure with the consulting firm Accenture, he led a 20,000-person innovation practice. He is the author of five books, including “Best Practices Are Stupid,” which was named the best innovation and creativity book of 2011. He has been featured in Newsweek, Entrepreneur Magazine, SUCCESS Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, and CNBC. Clients include 3M, P&G, Nike, Marriott, Honda, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, NASA, USAA, Fidelity Investments, and GE.

Stephen cultivates innovation by showing leaders and their teams how to approach, tackle and solve their business challenges. Applying the knowledge he has accrued over decades in the industry, Stephen is able to see what others can’t: opportunities to improve innovation models and the cultures that support them.

The first innovation opportunity Stephen spotted was the opportunity to innovate within his own life. Halfway through his 15-year tenure at Accenture, while leading the company’s business process reengineering practice, he realized he no longer wanted to be responsible for people losing their jobs. So he did exactly the opposite by building Accenture’s thriving 20,000-person process and innovation practice focused on growth and job creation.

In 2001, after publishing his first book, 24/7 Innovation, Stephen left Accenture to become a full-time innovation speaker and advisor to clients around the world. Since then he has published four more books – Goal-Free Living (2006), The Little Book of Big Innovation Ideas (2007), Personality Poker (2010) and Best Practices are Stupid (2011) — and spoken to audiences in 50 different countries.

Angela Mangiapane is a wonderful ambassador for Mars, Incorporated, and for the Five Principles that guide our global business every day.  Her 26 year Mars career, which spans a number of geographies and functions, is evidence of her passion and commitment to the business. It also demonstrates Mars’ investment in talented leaders who continue to innovate within their roles, ensuring we have a sustainable business for the future.

Angela first worked in Service & Finance in the Canadian unit and proceeded to hold a number of roles in North America that included cross segment financial leadership. In 2008, she embraced a new challenge, assuming a role in Personnel & Organization (P&O), where she quickly established herself as a competent and strategic leader.  Angela held P&O leadership roles in Latin America, Drinks, Royal Canin and most recently as global VP for Chocolate, where she guided the segment’s P&O function and oversaw the talent acquisition, development and retention of over 17,000 Associates around the world.

In October 2016, the Mars Leadership Team appointed Angela as the Global President of Mars Global Services. Here she is charged with transforming the existing shared services organization into an integrated business solutions provider that will increase efficiency and effectiveness in the segments and functions and truly unleash the scale of Mars. As the head of MGS, Angela leads an organization of 2,000 Associates providing shared solutions in the areas of IT, Finance, HR, Procurement and Consumer Insights.  She partners closely with the most senior leaders of Mars as well as industry thought leaders to ensure the organization is providing solutions that work – that help Mars operate better, faster, and smarter so that we can bring our customers and consumers what they need in an ever-changing business environment.

A passionate leader, Angela is proud of her journey, which has paved the way for women leaders across the enterprise. She has gained great perspective and insights on what it takes to lead, and importantly, she willingly shares the lessons she has learned about how everyone can continue to grow and innovate, in any role, over the course of an exciting career.