Ian Schafer has been at the forefront of the media and advertising industry since 1997. He was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement in 2015, the winner of its esteemed Jack Avrett Volunteer Spirit Award, and named one of “100 People Who Make Advertising Great” by the 4A’s in 2017.
Ian is the CEO & Co-Founder of Kindred, an organization built to prepare and support leaders who are building the future of equitable, socially responsible business by connecting them to the community, experts, and information they need to make better decisions on behalf of their organizations and stakeholders.
Launched in 2020, Kindred’s membership has quickly grown to include leaders from companies such as Allbirds, B Lab, Casper, Chobani, Facebook, HBO, LinkedIn, Macy’s, MassMutual, Meredith, Nike, Salesforce, Spotify, Twitter, Verizon, The Washington Post, and Wells Fargo.
Prior to founding Kindred, Ian was the founder, CEO, and Global Chairman of the influential advertising agency Deep Focus (sold to Engine Group in 2010), VP of New Media at Disney’s Miramax Films, and winner of numerous accolades including Cannes Lions, Webbys, and Emmy Awards. An active investor and advisor, Ian has helped several companies along on their journeys from founding to exit.