Katherine Melchior Ray
Katherine Melchior Ray is a seasoned global marketing leader, educator, and author with over 25 years of experience building iconic consumer brands across continents. She currently serves as a Lecturer in Marketing and Leadership at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where she draws on her extensive corporate background to teach international marketing strategies. As a keynote speaker and consultant, Katherine helps companies build new business, spark innovation, and create brand value across markets by applying cultural intelligence. She also teaches international marketing at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business helping MBA students to build brands that resonate across cultures.
She brings insights from 25+ years shaping iconic brands like Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Shiseido, Hyatt, and Babbel—leading teams across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Fluent in Japanese and French, Katherine turns global complexity into competitive advantage. As CMO of Shiseido’s $2 billion portfolio of luxury brands based in Tokyo, she’s led double-digit growth and increased profitability through brand and digital focus. As CMO at Babbel in Berlin, she accelerated business growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her career began in Japanese television, working for Fuji TV in Tokyo and New York. While honing her storytelling skills, Katherine gained a deep understanding of Japanese consumers. After leading international expansion for Hanna Andersson, she joined Nike as General Manager of U.S. Women’s Footwear, growing the business with shoes designed for women’s bodies, a fresh wholesale strategy, and the breakthrough campaign, If You Let Me Play.
Nordstrom sent Katherine to France to lead global marketing for Façonnable. Four years later, Louis Vuitton sent her to Japan as VP of Marketing where they broke records with the Neverfull product launch, new stores and the Art of Travel campaign. As VP of Luxury Brands at Hyatt, Katherine redefined the Park Hyatt and Grand Hyatt brands with award-winning designers, campaigns, and global partnerships. They opened Park Hyatt New York and Vienna with our highest revenue per room,
after which she was honored as one of the “Most Compelling Women in Travel.” Today, as President of Globe Ally, Katherine works with leaders to turn cultural insight into action—helping brands and teams grow smarter, connect deeper, and lead boldly on the global stage. If you're looking to expand globally, inspire your teams, or bring fresh perspective to your brand, let’s talk.
