Cheryl Perkins is a thought leader in innovation and a creative catalyst in brand-building initiatives that contribute to rewarding consumer experiences and improved business performance. She was identified as one of the Top 25 Champions of Innovation by Business Week magazine in June 2006, and named as a top executive driving vision within the consumer goods industry (Visionaries 2006) by Consumer Goods Technology magazine.

As President of Innovation Edge LLC, she is leading companies across many industries to build sustainable innovation capabilities and define sustainable growth opportunities. Her work involves designing and implementing organizational structures, processes, systems, and tools that enable open innovation and growth. These include but are not limited to ambidextrous growth incubators for new business development, design capabilities, strategic alliances and partnerships, environmental sustainability, safety and regulatory affairs, disruptive technologies and product brokering, and portfolio management.

Cheryl has over 23 years’ experience directing growth and innovation and most recently served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, reporting to the CEO and Chairman of the Board. In this role she provided leadership to global teams, and oversaw the development of new strategic business opportunities that delivered competitive advantage across key business platforms in mature and emerging markets. Cheryl led teams who developed technologies, partnerships, and intellectual assets to identify and transform insights, designs, technologies, and capabilities into total solutions and new-to-the-world innovations. Cheryl has made many notable contributions during her career, delivering longterm growth and a continuum of innovative solutions. As a passionate champion for innovation, she has helped drive growth through the design, development, and delivery of solutions while reducing cycle time and engaging external partners through an open innovation model.

She serves on the Board of the Product Development Management Association (PDMA) and the Consumer Goods Research Advisory Board. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Governor’s Wisconsin Technology Council, the Fox Cities’ Performing Arts Center, and the Georgia Institute of Technology External Advisory Board. Cheryl has been granted eight U.S. Patents and has several other patent applications pending.