Venus Williams
Venus Williams
Athlete, entrepreneur, and bestselling author
With 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships, and 4 Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports. Beginning her rise to the top at the age of 14, Venus quickly took the tennis world by storm—rising to the top-ranked position, breaking countless records, and winning numerous championships. Off the court, Venus has combined her sharp business acumen with her competitive spirit to build several successful ventures spanning art, design, wellness, and entertainment.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Morning Keynote: Great Work Doesn’t Wait for Permission
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Behind every campaign you've ever admired is a person who decided to build it before anyone told them how. Astha Malik, Chief Business Officer at Braze, closes Forge 2026 by making the case for the marketer over the machine and why the people in this room decide what customer engagement becomes next. There's no playbook for this moment, because it’s yours to write.

Seth Matlins will then join to lead a CMO panel exploring the shifts shaping the industry today, from AI and technology to the changing customer expectations, brand, and growth.

Finally, Astha will bring the “Made for This” theme full circle with a headliner panel exploring how the challenges marketers have solved, the campaigns they’ve launched, and the technologies they’ve embraced have prepared them to lead what comes next.