Adam Smith currently serves as Executive Creative Director for Advent Integrated. He is an established International brand communications strategist and designer whose clients span across wide range of sectors, including USAID, United Nations, Crius Energy, Saks Fifth Avenue, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Ritz-Carlton, Franklin Covey, Sports Illustrated, Google and others.
Mei Poon: What are your expectations or vision for New York Energy Week five years from now?
Adam Smith: The energy industry is experiencing a significant transformation and the leadership behind New York Energy Week are some of the early adopters who believe this change is pliable and within our sphere of influence. As business leaders with a passion for entrepreneurialism, our hope is to turn the Energy Week brand into an unprecedented annual industry collaborative.
MP: What are you most excited about for New York Energy Week 2014?
AS: Having participated in last year’s Data Jam at Google, I can’t wait to witness it again. Seeing over fifty of the industry’s brightest minds come together to ideate and propose solutions to solve some of the greatest issues in energy is one event that I cannot miss.
MP: What is your favorite invention/ technology in Energy sector?
AS: I love some of the stuff that has emerged from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) over the last few years, namely their PV sunlight concentrating technologies and “reverse order” lithium high-performance batteries.
MP: What is one opportunity/ challenge you hope will be addressed during New York Energy Week 2014?
AS: As a passionate entrepreneur in brand communications, I would love to have more conversations about how companies can be more communicative and explore opportunities to cross-pollinate technologies, processes and ideas. Treating intellectual capital as currency and liberally exchanging that currency create win-win results for the participants and accelerate industry growth.
MP: What is your favorite New York City landmark?
AS: I certainly enjoy a walk along High Line Park.
MP: What is(are) your favorite projects, having worked with numerous clients across sectors? And why?
AS: We helped one of our retail energy clients develop a global sustainability initiative that has had an enormous positive impact on the culture of the company, not to mention the significant change we have made thus far across multiple continents.
MP: Personal Fun Fact: What is something people might not know about you?
AS:
1. I’m one of 12 kids.
2. I lost 100lbs a few years back (and hope to never find it again!)
3. I have inadvertently hurdled a cobra (in Thailand) and a rattle snake (in Utah) while running. Once more and it may become a new sport!
