Chris Epple
Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Americas
Harman International
Chris Epple is Vice President of Marketing for Harman, overseeing consumer marketing, media and PR, digital and social, retail and new product marketing in North, South and Central America. His leadership role spans globally recognized brands such as JBL, Harman Kardon and AKG. Chris has successfully led JBL's marketing transformation from a traditional consumer brand to a social-forward, influencer-driven content creation powerhouse. He’s expanded Gen Z outreach through partnerships like the Giannis Collab and 100 Thieves gaming partnership, and innovative influencer events like Peaks on Peaks, concurrent with the launch of JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds. Notably, he spearheaded a groundbreaking partnership between JBL and new brand ambassador Doja Cat; the initiative kicked off with an unexpected social stunt at the Grammy Awards, with TikTok recognizing it as the "best TikTok of the week." The multifaceted partnership continued with four activation beats throughout 2022, achieving breakthrough results for JBL. Chris is also credited with revitalizing Mark Levinson as a premiere audiophile brand. Prior to joining Harman International, Chris held multiple leadership posts at A+E Networks® as well as the HISTORY® channel. Before that, he held product and brand management posts at PepsiCo and Kraft Foods.
Career Highlights
Under his leadership, JBL has received numerous accolades for marketing innovation, including ADDYs, Clios, SABREs and Shortys
Helped JBL achieve the number-one position for quality social engagement for the first time in company history
Led JBL’s official NBA partnership
Spoke on a wide range of Brand Innovators panels
Academic credits include roles as Guest Lecturer and Adjunct Professor
