Perry Hewitt

Personal Information

Bio

Perry Hewitt works at the intersection of marketing and digital strategy and is passionate about leading high-performing teams to drive sustainable change and impact. As Chief Marketing Officer of data.org, she oversees the marketing and communications functions, as well as digital product development.

Perry has held marketing, strategy, and digital product development roles in both corporate and not-for-profit sectors. Recent engagements include: Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Rockefeller Foundation, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ballmer Group / USAFacts. Previously as Harvard University’s chief digital officer, she conceived and led digital strategy for marketing, communications, and engagement during the University’s capital campaign. Perry has held marketing roles at firms including Crimson Hexagon, Razorfish, and Lotus, and has lived and worked in Switzerland, England, Russia, and Australia.

Perry holds a number of leadership positions advancing marketing, technology, and entrepreneurship. She is a founding board member at The Marketing Society’s New York City hub, a Connect Council member at Glasswing AI Venture Capital, and an advisor to the Harvard Business School’s Digital Initiative. She advises startups and cultural institutions; she also writes and speaks on topics including digital transformation, product management, marketing strategy, and women in leadership.

The Toughest Problem I Encountered in Transformation

Digital transformation is challenging -- and there are many "red herring" candidates for the toughest. Technology is tough -- choosing the right approaches and platforms, and then implementing these intelligently. Talent is hard to come by -- the necessary skills seems to be in short supply, and new talent brought in needs to complement and enhance existing institutional knowledge. But the real challenge is creating sustained cultural change: assembling and leading the right teams with the right mindset that work to build bridges within and beyond and organization, to implement successful transformative rather than incremental programs, and to disseminate learning and practice across the enterprise. In the end, it's all about culture.