Skills
About
Val Vacante is an award-winning, creative catalyst and global innovator. As the SVP of Solutions Innovation at Dentsu, she uncovers cultural trends, commerce dynamics, and emerging technologies to shape next-generation product innovations, and solutions impacting the way people connect and experience the physical and digital world. Val is the product lead and innovator behind the Meta Global Messaging Alliance and Intelligent Messaging, Dentsu's first-of-its-kind full suite of end-to-end messaging innovations designed to accelerate 1:1 conversational messaging, AI-amplified assistance, and human connection – showcased at CES, SXSW, Cosmoprofs and featured in Digiday, MediaPost, Retail Brew and more. She is the co-creator behind Dentsu NXT Space, a co-space for rapidly realizing the future of AI, 3D spatial environments, and everyday tech tools in collaboration with Microsoft, LinkedIn and HeadOffice.space featured in PSFK’s, “Best of CES,” Forbes, Fast Company, Digiday, Coindesk, Metaverse Post and more. Val is also the co-creator of ShopNXT™ — Dentsu’s retail innovations focused on helping brands create more personalized shopping experiences increasing loyalty, sales, and customer joy. The ShopNXT suite of products has been named top product picks at CES by PCR Magazine featured in CNET, The Drum, PSFK, eMarketer, MediaPost, PCR among others. Additionally, Val architected and launched NXT Intelligence™ an innovation platform featuring 12 technology, innovation, and brand solutions designed to rapidly explore, evaluate and evolve business growth opportunities. Her latest work focuses on connected experiences, emerging technologies, gaming, retail and play. She is also the Founder of the strategy and innovation firm Collabsco; where she pioneered award-winning digital products and connected experiences across IoT, AR, VR, voice, robotics, and the first connected play landscape featured in VentureBeat, The Drum, VRScout, and more. Her portfolio includes over 50+ brands including Microsoft, Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, Bandai Namco Entertainment, PepsiCo, P&G, Nestlé, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, AT&T, Vodafone, Honeywell, Sleep Number, Dell, MERGE, WowWee and Virsix Games, among others. Val has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Tech by PCR magazine, Women in Tech Global Product Management Leader of the Year, The Most Powerful Women in Technology, by CIO Views and 40 Over Forty. She serves on the Fast Company Executive Board, SXSW Innovation Advisory Board, is a Global Expert to MassChallenge, an international speaker and writer.

Val Vacante
Published content

expert panel
You have more control over your travel schedule than you realize. Apply these expert tips to emulate aspects of your normal routine. While some executives look forward to engaging in business travel opportunities, enabling them to see the world while representing their establishments and growing their network, other professionals dread being away from their families for any amount of time, feeling out of sync from their daily routines, and having to play catch up on specific workflow tasks once they've returned to the office. To help these leaders adopt a proactive (rather than reactive) approach to planning their short- or long-term business trips, the members of Fast Company Executive Board provide 17 strategies to help any colleague build a better work-life balance on the go, and remember to prioritize self-care at the top of their list.

expert panel
Make each annual conference more than a calendar commitment and turn it into a springboard for growth, insight and connection. Annual business conferences can easily become routine—another event on the calendar, another round of sessions and handshakes. But with the right approach, these gatherings can deliver far more than surface-level inspiration. Whether you’re attending to learn, leading a session, or using the event to align and energize your team, the real value lies in how you prepare, participate, and follow through. Below, 20 members of Fast Company Executive Board share their expert tips for getting the most out of your annual conference, year after year.

expert panel
Learn how business leaders are doubling down on proven tactics—from customer-driven content to smarter data use—to stand out in a crowded market. As advertising channels grow more saturated and consumer attention spans shrink, brands must be more intentional than ever about how they earn exposure. The strategies gaining traction now are those that build credibility over time—through honest storytelling, smart targeting, and meaningful customer engagement. From strategic partnerships and digital storytelling to data-driven outreach and customer-powered campaigns, today’s top leaders are rethinking how to connect with their audiences. Below, Fast Company Executive Board members share the time-tested advertising approaches they believe will have the biggest impact in the year ahead.

expert panel
AI can supercharge your marketing, but without human guidance, it won’t resonate. These strategies help your business keep both. Artificial intelligence has helped many businesses move faster, work smarter, and reach broader audiences with their marketing and publicity efforts. But as use of this technology grows, so does the risk of losing the very thing that makes your brand stand out: the human connection. Luckily, you don't have to choose between AI and humanity; in fact, the most successful leaders and businesses are finding ways to blend both. To help, 11 members of Fast Company Executive Board discuss how you can use AI to amplify your reach without sacrificing authenticity.

expert panel
Your brand's reputation doesn't have to waver just because the market does. In an unpredictable market, your brand’s reputation can feel simultaneously more fragile and more important than ever. A single misstep, a poorly handled crisis, or a lack of clear communication can erode trust faster than it’s built. To help you avoid a PR crisis, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members share their best practices for managing brand reputation. Follow their advice to strengthen and protect your brand, no matter the external circumstances.

expert panel
The path to a successful online business starts with understanding what your customers need and building every decision around that insight. Launching an online business means making bold decisions from day one—what to sell, who to target, and how to stand out in a crowded market. The most successful founders don’t wait for perfect conditions; they validate demand early, build trust fast, and solve real problems better than anyone else. Every move is intentional, and momentum matters more than perfection. To help you cut through the noise and gain traction, 14 Fast Company Executive Board members share hard-won strategies for building online businesses that last.
Company details
dentsu
Company bio
Dentsu’s integrated network of agencies is purpose-built to help clients navigate, progress and thrive in a world of change. To champion meaningful progress with and for our clients, we are organized in a way that puts our clients and their customers at the center of everything that we do. Our connected tools, products and capabilities are focused on delivering human-centric, integrated solutions -- seamlessly bringing together all of the creativity, media and CXM expertise of our network in service of both growth & good. Dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 45,000 dedicated specialists.