![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ZainRaj.png)
share this page
About
Zain is the President & CEO of Shapiro + Raj, a top-ten independent research and insights company in North America with offices in Chicago, New York, London and Sydney. Zain is also the founder and CEO of zednext, an ideas incubator that takes an objective and disruptive look at issues and trends to help marketers and business leaders realize their full potential in a data-driven, digitally-led and insights-driven world. Most recently he was CEO of Epsilon Agency Services (EAS), the largest global CRM and Digital agency. He was previously CEO of Euro RSCG Discovery, as well as the agency’s global practice leader of retail brands. He has also held senior leadership roles at FCB Worldwide, JWT and Grey. Zain is author of Brand Rituals™: How Successful Brands Bond with Customers for Life, an Amazon marketing and sales bestseller, which posits a new approach to building strong and sustainable brands in today’s hyper-complex business and marketing environment. He is a sought-after speaker on how marketers can build their businesses and improve their brand value in this evolving landscape of big-data, mobility, digitization and commoditization. He passionately espouses the view that marketing needs to change people’s behavior not just attitudes. And, brands need to forge strong relationships with their core customers by solving real problems in a meaningful yet distinct way. An evangelist for innovation and strong believer in empowering others, Zain has contributed his insights to The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Fast Company, Forbes, Crain’s and publications of the nation’s top business schools. Zain is a member of the Executive’s Club of Chicago. He formerly sat on the Board of Directors of the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the board of Junior Achievement, TiE Midwest and is Co-Chairman of the American India Foundation Annual Gala.Company Spotlight in Tech
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Techstars-logo.jpg)
Techstars Chicago
videos (1)
Troy Henikoff
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Turboappeal.png)
TurboAppeal Inc
videos (1)
JOHN GUIDOS
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/G2-Crowd-logo.png)
G2 Crowd
videos (2)
Tim Handorf
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/63fa6dffef68b4db2c00cb5f27ec.png)
Inquidia
videos (1)
Steve Miller
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AIT_Logo_grey_fill_high-res.jpg)
AIT Worldwide Logistics
videos (1)
Vaughn Moore
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Gogo_Inflight_Logo.jpg)
Gogo
videos (1)
Ash EIDifrawi
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AAEAAQAAAAAAAATcAAAAJGJhYTJjNzVjLWFlYTktNDc1YS04ZDE4LWE2N2YyYjI5NjQ5MQ.png)
HS2 Solutions
videos (1)
Phil Hollyer
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/MotherG-logo.png)
MotherG
videos (3)
Dave Davenport
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/King-Devick-Test-logo.jpg)
King Devick Technologies, Inc.
videos (1)
Danielle Leong
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/nuphoriq-logo.jpg)
nuphoriq
videos (1)
Erin Walter
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ActiveCampaign-logo.png)
ActiveCampaign
videos (1)
Jason VandeBoom
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/133165d.png)
Trading Technologies
videos (1)
Rick Lane
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/0-16.png)
Infutor Data Solutions
videos (1)
Gary Walter
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAd_AAAAJDNiMDZkNDJkLTQxZTYtNDVmOS1iNDgyLTEyZTc3NDM1MmUyYQ.png)
10th Magnitude
videos (1)
Alex Brown
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AVANT.png)
AVANT
videos (2)
Drew Lydecker
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AAEAAQAAAAAAAALPAAAAJDllNTJhNWU5LTY0NDItNGY1OS1iMDNiLWI0MDg5YzI0YWFlYQ.png)
ParqEx
videos (1)
Vivek Mehra
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/images.png)
Eat Purely
videos (2)
Jeremiah Green
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/0-15.png)
Muses App
videos (1)
Shirley Yang
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/physIQ-logo.jpg)
physIQ
videos (1)
Gary Conkright
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/uBack-logo.png)
uBack
videos (1)
Kaitlin Reimann
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cbiz-inc-logo.jpg)
CBIZ, Inc.
Jerome Grisko
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAh2AAAAJGNkMjg4MWUwLTJlMWYtNDZlNC04ZDQ2LTMzZDMzMGRjZTBmMA.png)
Lemko
videos (1)
Bo Pyskir
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ITPeopleNetwork.png)
ITPeopleNetwork
videos (2)
Amit Dutta
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Encompass-AV.jpg)
Encompass AV
videos (1)
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/medcor.png)
Medcor
videos (2)
Curtis Smith
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Lightstream.png)
Lightstream
videos (2)
Stu Grubbs
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/0-14.png)
Braviant Holdings
videos (1)
Stephanie Klein
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Chicago-Interactive-Marketing-Association-logo.png)
Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA)
videos (1)
Eric Whobrey
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/extenetsystems.png)
ExteNet Systems, Inc.
videos (1)
Ross Manire
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Hireology-logo.png)
Hireology
videos (2)
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Steadfast-Networks.png)
Steadfast Networks
videos (2)
Karl Zimmerman
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/HigherGround-Managed-Services-logo.png)
HigherGround Managed Services
videos (1)
Brian Brammeier
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/0-13.jpeg)
Compass
videos (1)
Demeko Taylor
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/onShoreSecurityLogo_Horizontal_LightBackgrounds.png)
onShore Security
videos (1)
Stel Valavanis
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Adeptia.png)
Adeptia
videos (1)
Lou Ennuso
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/0-8.png)
Fuzzy Math
videos (2)
Mark Baldino
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tovala-logo.png)
Tovala
videos (1)
David Rabie
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Objective-Paradigm.png)
Objective Paradigm, Inc.
videos (1)
Kevin Krumm
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/insuresoft.png)
Insuresoft
videos (1)
Tony Villa
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Adage-Technologies-logo.png)
Adage Technologies
videos (2)
Roy Chomko
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAPCAAAAJDZjMGRhNGNkLTM0MDctNDUxOC1iODk3LTEyYzZhM2QzMDNhNg.png)
SoloInsight Inc.
videos (1)
Farhan Masood
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Lawson-Products.png)
Lawson Products
videos (2)
Michael DeCata
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/1.png)
EZLinks Golf
videos (1)
Gary Cohen
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/solsticemobile.jpg.png)
Solstice Mobile
videos (1)
J Schwan
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAieAAAAJGZlYTlmM2VkLTAxNjctNGVkMi1hYTZiLTA4NTljYjg0ZTk1Zg.png)
Elements Holdings Group & Subsidiaries
videos (1)
Rick Hammell
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/AArete.png)
AArete
videos (2)
Loren Trimble
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAVvAAAAJGUyZWVlZDZkLTljOWUtNGRjNC1hNDhlLWViOGRmMTU0ZDgyYQ.png)
Antenna International
videos (1)
Dave Falter
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/0-3.png)
Mediafly
Carson Conant
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Techstars-logo.jpg)
Techstars Chicago
videos (1)
Troy Henikoff
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Turboappeal.png)
TurboAppeal Inc
videos (1)
JOHN GUIDOS
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/G2-Crowd-logo.png)
G2 Crowd
videos (2)
Tim Handorf
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/63fa6dffef68b4db2c00cb5f27ec.png)
Inquidia
videos (1)
Steve Miller
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AIT_Logo_grey_fill_high-res.jpg)
AIT Worldwide Logistics
videos (1)
Vaughn Moore
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Gogo_Inflight_Logo.jpg)
Gogo
videos (1)
Ash EIDifrawi
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AAEAAQAAAAAAAATcAAAAJGJhYTJjNzVjLWFlYTktNDc1YS04ZDE4LWE2N2YyYjI5NjQ5MQ.png)
HS2 Solutions
videos (1)
Phil Hollyer
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/MotherG-logo.png)
MotherG
videos (3)
Dave Davenport
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/King-Devick-Test-logo.jpg)
King Devick Technologies, Inc.
videos (1)
Danielle Leong
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/nuphoriq-logo.jpg)
nuphoriq
videos (1)
Erin Walter
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ActiveCampaign-logo.png)
ActiveCampaign
videos (1)
Jason VandeBoom
![](https://bizcasthq.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/133165d.png)
Trading Technologies
videos (1)
Rick Lane