Chris Deri
Chris Deri is Weber Shandwick’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer & President of the firm’s C-Suite Advisory business. For over two decades, Chris has advised corporate, NGO and government leaders in dozens of markets across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East around: corporate and executive positioning, public diplomacy, organizational design, digital strategy, crisis & issues management, sustainability & ESG.
If you want to be trusted, tell the truth.
Q&As
What’s the coolest (or weirdest) place a project has taken you?
I advised a project in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia that was working to get nomad families to switch out their old, high-polluting home stoves for much cleaner burning ones. My tactical idea was to enlist a Mongolian celebrity chef (yes, they exist) to design a new recipe book to include with the new stoves.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever gotten?
Don’t just trust your instincts, act on them.
Who is someone that inspires you right now?
Malcom X has always been inspiring for me. He had the courage to live and die for his principles. But he had the humility to challenge his own beliefs and assumptions.
Do you do any charity or volunteer work?
I am on the Board of International Alert, a peace building organization with programs working in dozens of pre and post conflict regions and active war zones across the world.
What’s your favorite thing about NYC?
The growing network of ferries. We still need more of them. I am rooting for re-instating the ferry from Manhattan to LaGuardia Marine Air Terminal.
What’s your favorite restaurant in NYC?
Ippudo Westside for Ramen. The Regency for a see-and-be-seen power breakfasts. And Liuyishou in Flushing for Hot Pot.
What’s your favorite way to unwind in your free time?
Traveling with my family.
Where would you love to travel in the world to gain inspiration?
Antarctica to get inspiration from the penguins.