KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Damola Adamolekun (CEO of Red Lobster)
Damola Adamolekun is a globally recognized business leader and dynamic speaker whose journey from Nigeria to the boardrooms of America embodies resilience, excellence, and bold leadership.
At just 36 years old, Damola is the Chief Executive Officer of Red Lobster, the world’s largest seafood restaurant company, where he leads the iconic brand’s transformation for a new generation. He is the youngest CEO in Red Lobster’s history and was previously the youngest CEO in the history of P.F. Chang’s, where he steered the company through the pandemic and revitalized one of America’s most beloved Asian dining brands.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential executives of his generation, Damola was named to Fortune’s “100 Most Powerful People in Business” and has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and the Harvard Business Review, among others.
Born in Nigeria and raised across Africa, Europe, and the United States, Damola’s story is one of grit, global perspective, and relentless pursuit of excellence. His journey—from Ivy League football fields to Wall Street trading floors to the C-suites of billion-dollar companies—fuels his belief that success is built on discipline, action, and the habit of excellence.
As a speaker, Damola is known for his dynamic, high-energy delivery and transformative insights on leadership, innovation, and perseverance. Whether addressing corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, or students, he challenges audiences to think bigger, move faster, and lead with clarity and conviction.
Before joining Red Lobster, Damola was a Partner at Paulson & Co., where he led several of the firm’s largest investments, and later served as CEO and Director of P.F. Chang’s. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in investment banking and later at TPG Capital in private equity.
Damola has been honored with multiple GLOBEE Leadership Awards, including CEO of the Year: Food & Beverage and Transformational Leader of the Year, as well as inclusion on Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List and the EBONY Power 100.
A graduate of Brown University, where he studied Economics and Political Science and played on the Ivy League Champion football team, Damola also earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mandell Crawley
Mandell L. Crawley is Executive Vice President and Chief Client Officer of Morgan Stanley and a member of the firm's Operating and Management Committees. He is responsible for the Integrated Firm Management division, which focuses on delivering Morgan Stanley consistently and systematically to clients across business lines and geographies. Mr. Crawley has been at the firm for over 30 years and has held leadership roles spanning a variety of functions.
Most recently as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Mr. Crawley oversaw the Human Capital Management & Corporate Services division. Prior to becoming CHRO, Mr. Crawley led the firm's Private Wealth Management (PWM) business, where he also oversaw International Wealth Management, Family Office Resources, Global Sports and Entertainment, and Institutional Client Coverage. Mr. Crawley has also served as the firm's Chief Marketing Officer and spent 14 years in Fixed Income Capital Markets.
Mr. Crawley received an MBA from Fordham University and a B.A. in economics from Northeastern Illinois University. He is on the Board of Governors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Board of Trustees at Fordham University and the Board of Trustees at Greenwich Academy.