International Women's Day
- Head of Business AI at Meta and former Starbucks board director
- Named one of Fast Company’s Most Influential People in Technology
- Founder and board chair of global software company Hearsay Systems
Clara Shih combines technological innovation with business acumen to help organizations navigate digital transformation. As Senior Vice President at Meta and founder of Hearsay Systems, Clara brings practical expertise in creating modern customer experiences that drive measurable business results.
Clara previously served on the Starbucks board of directors and today advises global enterprises on digital transformation strategies. Her groundbreaking work includes developing the first social business app in 2007 and authoring the bestselling book The Facebook Era. Her career spans business and technical roles at Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce.com, complemented by academic excellence as Stanford's top computer science graduate and an Oxford Marshall Scholar.
Clara helps organizations tackle today's most pressing challenges by implementing AI-powered solutions that enhance customer engagement while maintaining ethical standards. Her approach balances technological innovation with practical business applications, enabling companies to automate routine processes while creating more meaningful customer interactions across digital channels.
Audiences gain actionable strategies for leveraging social media to redesign business models and reach connected consumers effectively. Clara's presentations provide frameworks for implementing AI solutions that deliver measurable ROI while maintaining brand trust.
Book Clara to equip your team with proven strategies that bridge technological innovation and practical business transformation in today's digital landscape.
Clara's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
Digital Transformation And Customer Experience
Clara Shih will discuss the effective use of modern digital communication channels, including video calls, online document sharing, and social media, to build and nurture virtual relationships. She will address the importance of balancing corporate branding with local relationship management efforts and highlight key regulatory considerations, such as FINRA and SEC guidelines for financial services. Attendees will learn strategies to enhance their digital communication skills while ensuring compliance and fostering strong connections in a virtual environment.
Sales Effectiveness In An Increasingly Digital World
Clara Shih will discuss leveraging LinkedIn and other social media to enhance sales rep productivity in the digital marketplace. She will explore effective strategies for prospecting, nurturing customer relationships, and fostering retention and growth. Clara will emphasize the importance of establishing expert credibility and conveying empathy through digital interactions. Attendees will learn how to build lasting customer trust, making this a crucial time for developing strong, enduring relationships in a competitive environment.
Employee Engagement In A Hybrid Workplace
Clara Shih highlights the considerations managers must take into account in our new world of hybrid work. Clara discusses the unique support required for single and dual-working parents of young children and the necessity for managers to adapt their management styles to model behaviors that prioritize work-life balance. Clara also addresses the need for recruitment strategies to evolve in a virtual environment, focusing on personal interactions without in-person meetings. Attendees will learn effective management techniques and innovative recruitment approaches for a changing workforce.
The Social Selling Revolution
Clara Shih discusses the importance of real-time social signals in modern sales strategies. With a billion people sharing life moments online, savvy agents can leverage this information to enhance outreach efforts. Cold outreach is outdated; today’s successful agents know when and how to connect with prospects, fostering deep relationships that lead to renewals, upsells, and referrals. Attendees will learn effective techniques to navigate the evolving selling landscape.
The Comprehensive Facebook Marketing Play Book
Clara Shih discusses how Facebook has transformed online sharing, impacting personal relationships and marketing strategies. She highlights that marketers can achieve higher response rates by personalizing messages and leveraging endorsements from friends. With tools like hyper-targeting and social media platforms, marketers must engage with customers where they are most active, particularly on Facebook. Attendees will learn how to adapt their marketing strategies to thrive in the Facebook Era by mastering consumer psychology and effective communication techniques.
Why we recommend booking Clara
Clara Shih's unparalleled expertise in digital transformation, from founding Hearsay Systems to holding leadership roles at Meta, Google, and Salesforce, equips organisations with actionable strategies to leverage AI and social media for measurable business growth. Book Clara to give your team the perfect balance of technological innovation and practical business applications needed to create meaningful customer experiences in today's digital landscape.
Shih clearly articulates the opportunity for businesses on the social web, breaking it down into simple, actionable steps for companies to reach and connect with customers and prospects from around the world.
Sheryl Sandberg
Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Clara is someone who understands the marketing side of the business and at the same time has a deep understanding of the technical side. This makes her a rare individual who can simultaneously understand today's technical limitations--understands the potential of tomorrow's technology--and can communicate the vision.
She helped bring social media mainstream with sticky storytelling and the experiences she earned doing the work. Her work helping Starbucks and Ad Council connect with Millennials is important and impressive, and she's an inspiration for supporting women in engineering.
