The Secret Behind KitKat’s 95-Year Relevance (And What Marketers Can Learn)

Tracey Cooke is a strategic and creative leader with a passion for problem solving, building brands and driving sustainable growth. She has a track record of nurturing strong teams, orchestrating organizational change, and developing emerging in-house practices to deliver consumer centricity at the core. 

Tracey is currently CMO, SVP, Head of Marketing and Commercialization at Nestle Canada, and Leader of the Centre for Marketing Excellence, a multidisciplinary team focused on driving consumer first thinking, accelerating change and capability building in Marketing, including Consumer Insights & Strategy, eBusiness, Consumer Engagement and Experience (including our in-house Consumer Engagement Service team, internal Community Management, Content, Media), Category Analytics, Packaging, and Agency/Tech Partnerships.  She is a member of the Nestlé Canada Business Executive Team. She first joined Nestle as a Communication Director and was responsible for helping transform Nestle from its digital nascency (in Marketing) to a leading centre in the global network. Currently, she is an active Executive core member of the Nestle Canada DEI Steering Committee, Sponsor of the DEI Marketing Stream, and the Nestle Sustainability Steering Committee.  

Prior to joining Nestlé Canada, Tracey worked in various communication, advertising and leadership roles at a number of agencies, including: the social purpose startup Public Inc (Director, Creative & Experience), her own consultancy twostories (Founding Partner, Chief Creative Officer & Strategy Lead), McCann (Vice President, Creative Director) and DDB Health & Lifestyle (Senior Copywriter). 

Infinitely curious and a perpetual learner, Tracey started in the world of science with a degree in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, roles in pharma, a world renown science centre and emerging environmental technologies before she started a career in advertising – leveraging diversity of thought & experiences as a core philosophy for success.

Tracey has been a board member of the ACA (Association of Canadian Advertisers) for over 6 years, is a McKinsey CMO Alumni, Star Woman in Grocery 2023 Senior Leader award recipient, Marketer to Watch in 2024, The 2024 ACA Gold Medal Winner in Marketing and 2024 Strategy Marketer of the Year. She is a frequently requested keynote speaker and panel member for views on Marketing, Brand Building, Talent Development, Innovation, eCommerce and MarTech. She has been juror and Co-chair for numerous Advertising and Marketing Awards including The Effies, CMAs, LIAs, SIAs, The 2025 Canadian Young Lions, and a nominated Cannes Juror. 

Dedicated to mentoring emerging talent in marketing and advertising, she believes in building powerful workplaces where empathy, vulnerability and belonging are key to commercial success.