Top 10 Most Inspiring Business Leaders to Follow in 2025

Andre Texier Velleman: Reigniting Iconic Brands with Purpose and Precision

Top 10 Most Inspiring Business Leaders to Follow in 2025

In today’s crowded marketplace, consumers give brands only a fleeting moment to make an impression whether on the store shelf or in the endless scroll of a mobile screen. The challenge for marketers is not just to capture attention, but to create resonance that lasts, weaving stories that inspire loyalty while still delivering measurable results. It’s a delicate balance of creativity and discipline, vision and execution. 

Few leaders embody this balance as effectively as Andre Texier Velleman, Brand Director for Coleman at Newell Brands. With international experience spanning North and Latin America, Tex has built a reputation for leading high-impact marketing programs, deploying innovative branding strategies, and managing P&Ls with both rigor and creativity. His career reflects not only a mastery of brand storytelling and consumer insight, but also a relentless focus on aligning strategies with profitability and long-term growth. 

Known for anticipating consumer and industry trends, he has successfully crafted and executed global product campaigns, integrated marketing initiatives, and annual plans designed to achieve ambitious profit and share goals. More than a strategist, Tex is a visionary leader who thrives on bringing iconic brands back to life, empowering teams, and delivering results that are as inspiring as they are measurable. 

The Power of Focus: Lessons from Global Experience 

Tex has built his career across North and Latin America with one consistent takeaway: focus matters. Regardless of geography, consumers give brands only fleeting moments of attention—whether on shelves or scrolling through feeds. For Tex, this means being intentional about what message to convey, delivering it with passion and empathy, and having the discipline to say no to distractions. “It’s about rallying teams around a narrow but powerful path,” he reflects. “That’s how you multiply limited resources and ensure the message truly resonates.” 

A Career Sparked by Serendipity 

Tex didn’t set out to become a marketing leader. In fact, he originally applied for a role in IT at Procter & Gamble. But during the interview, Magaly Mendoza recognized a spark in him and steered him toward marketing instead—a decision that shaped the rest of his career. At P&G, marketing sat at the epicenter of consumer insight and business ownership. “She was absolutely right,” he says. “That one conversation changed my life for the better, and I’m forever grateful.” 

Consumer as Best Friend, Not Just Boss 

At the heart of Tex’s brand philosophy is a twist on a classic principle. AG Lafley, former P&G CEO, famously coined the phrase “Consumer is Boss.” One of Tex’s mentors, Pedro Bousono, reframed it: think of the consumer as your best friend. “Sometimes your boss is wrong, but you always want the best for your best friend,” he explains. That perspective shapes his approach—whether it’s ensuring consumers don’t overpay for low value, or creating products he would proudly recommend to someone close. 

Spotting Trends Before They Peak 

For Tex, identifying and acting on trends before they peak is both art and science. He believes it starts with empowering the right people—creative teams who combine instinctive cultural sensitivity with access to robust data and forecasting tools. 

A recent example comes from his work in the drinkware business with Contigo and Bubba. Consumers increasingly see drinkware as an extension of personal style, not just a hydration tool. Recognizing this shift required looking beyond traditional surveys and retailer feedback. Instead, Tex’s team leaned on trend-forecasting reports, AI tools that scan social media to spot emerging aesthetics, and the trained eye of designers attuned to cultural movements. 

“The mistake we used to make was asking consumers what they liked now, for products that wouldn’t hit shelves for a year,” he explains. “By the time we launched, the trend had already shifted.” Similarly, relying solely on retailers’ gut instincts or executives’ opinions often led to misguided decisions. 

The pivot was simple but powerful: let the design experts own the process, using data to make forward-looking recommendations rather than backward-looking choices. Crucially, Tex also built flexibility into the system. “Not every bet will be a hit—and that’s okay,” he says. “What matters is that we observe, learn, and pivot quickly. Innovation is iterative. By giving ourselves permission to make mistakes, we actually move faster and become more relevant.” 

This blend of rigor and agility, he argues, is what keeps brands ahead of the curve. “Trends don’t wait for companies to catch up. You either anticipate them, or you’re left behind.” 

Balancing Creativity with Measurable Impact 

Tex views the balance between creativity and performance not as a trade-off, but as a dual responsibility. On one hand, brand-building requires patience, consistency, and a long-term commitment to clarity of purpose, iconic assets, and emotional resonance. On the other hand, modern marketing realities demand measurable outcomes—campaigns that can move profit and share numbers in the short term. 

“Creativity is not free from accountability,” he explains. “Every campaign must deliver results, but it must do so while strengthening the long-term equity of the brand.” For Tex, this means resisting the temptation to chase quick wins that compromise the essence of the brand. Sacrificing identity for immediate gain, he warns, always backfires in the long run. 

Instead, his approach is to set non-negotiables—brand values, tone, and positioning that cannot be diluted—while allowing creativity to flourish within those boundaries. Performance metrics are layered on top, with clear KPIs linked to both business outcomes and brand health. “We should ask ourselves: is this campaign delivering the numbers today, while also making the brand stronger tomorrow? If the answer is no, then we must rethink it.” 

He points to his current role at Coleman as a vivid example of this philosophy in action. “Coleman is a love brand, tied deeply to the American outdoor spirit,” he says. “Our campaigns must reignite that emotional connection, while also proving their impact on sales. It’s about restoring Coleman’s rightful place in backyards and camping trips, but doing it in a way that builds momentum for the future, not just the next quarter.” 

Strategic Alignment Through Focus and Agility 

When it comes to aligning marketing with business outcomes, Tex returns to the discipline of focus. He draws on the “Where to Play, How to Win” framework developed by AG Lafley and Roger Martin, which he applied firsthand earlier in his career. “You can’t do everything—you have to say no to most things and concentrate on what has the highest impact,” he explains. From there, it’s about monitoring performance, learning forward, and staying agile enough to pivot when execution falls short. “Strategy may be sound, but humility and adaptability are what keep it alive in the market.” 

Leading with Empowerment and Accountability 

For Tex, effective leadership in a multicultural and multidisciplinary marketing team is about clarity and empowerment. He believes leaders must provide a clear vision of what needs to be achieved, alongside an operational framework for how to get there. From there, the real task is removing barriers, encouraging timely decisions, and giving teams full ownership of outcomes. “Whether it’s a success or a failure, what matters is that they take the swing,” he says. Celebrating effort, fostering quick learning, and adapting along the way are, in his view, the hallmarks of resilient leadership. 

Loyalty in a World of Endless Choice 

With markets oversaturated and consumers driven by immediacy, long-term brand loyalty is harder to earn than ever. Tex argues that the solution lies in brands standing for something clear and unequivocal in the hearts of consumers. Differentiation must go beyond product—it’s about the way a brand makes people feel. “If the consumer is your best friend, what do you bring to make their day better?” he asks. Whether through the product itself or through communication that entertains, inspires, or challenges, loyalty is built on creating meaningful, consistent value. 

The Next Frontier: One-to-One Marketing 

Looking ahead, Tex sees hyper-personalization as the force that will reshape brand-consumer relationships over the next decade. With AI-driven productivity, globalized resources, and consumers increasingly seeking products with rich stories and personal meaning, the landscape is shifting. “Big brands must find ways to deliver tailored messaging and hyper-customization on their winning products,” he explains. Otherwise, he warns, categories risk becoming commoditized, with brands forced into pricing wars. 

Balancing Technology with Humanity 

Despite the wave of AI and automation transforming marketing, Tex insists that the most exciting part of the future lies in the human element. “Only the brands that balance technological change with a deep understanding of what consumers feel and yearn for will succeed,” he says. For him, the future of global brand development isn’t just about speed and efficiency, it’s about empathy, storytelling, and emotional connection. 

Career Advice for Future Global Marketers 

When asked what guidance he would give to aspiring marketing leaders, Tex stresses ownership. “You are the only owner of your career—don’t delegate it to your boss, HR, or anyone else,” he says firmly. He encourages young professionals to be their own advocates, to seek out international opportunities proactively, and to never shy away from asking for help. His advice is simple but powerful: talk to hiring managers, ask questions, and learn directly from those who have walked the path before.