Claude Silver, the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, believes that showing up with heart and humanity is the key to unlocking greatness in people. As a leader, she sees it as her job to infuse empathy into every aspect of the organization. As a speaker, podcaster, industry trendsetter, and LinkedIn influencer, she’s now inspiring other leaders to do the same.
Claude has proven time and time again that empathy plays a role in fueling growth. With her as Chief Heart Officer, Vayner has grown from 400 people to a global team of 2000 with offices in 11 countries. Claude also helped lead VaynerMedia, Vayner’s foundational company, to be named the Breakthrough Media Agency of 2022 by Adweek.
At a young age, Claude was repeatedly told she thinks too much with her heart — something she has now learned is her superpower. This has evolved into what she calls “emotional optimism,” a concept that is key to her heart-first leadership style.
Thinking with her heart led Claude to start an outdoor adventure and surf company in San Francisco, becoming an Outward Bound instructor, and spending years of training in transpersonal psychology, positive psychology, and the study of Buddhist and other spiritual traditions. She was also a global advertising executive at JWT London, JWT San Francisco, Publicis London, along with other agencies.
Claude has received the Campaign US’s “Female Frontier Award” and Adweek’s “Changing the Game Award” and speaks at major national and international conferences and corporate events. She has been interviewed on dozens of leading podcasts and quoted or featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., and the Wall Street Journal.