Derek “Drex” Jancar

Derek “Drex” Jancar has spent his career helping build brands, teams, and communities that thrive on creativity—from co-founding The Remix Project, a new model for creative education, to leading October’s Very Own from a Toronto-born idea into a globally recognized lifestyle brand.

In this keynote, Derek pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead creative people, build cultural relevance, and scale without losing soul. He shares the lessons behind growing OVO into a direct-to-consumer brand with global reach—and what organizations of any size can learn from the way real culture is built.

This isn’t theory. It’s a real-world blueprint for:

– Creating environments where creativity isn’t just encouraged—it’s expected

– Building brands that connect, not just convert

– Bringing real impact into the work—without needing a nonprofit label

Whether you’re leading a creative team, launching a brand, or rethinking how your culture actually shows up, this talk will challenge how you define leadership and unlock new ways to think about creativity at scale.

Because creativity isn’t a department. It’s a mindset. And the future belongs to the teams that know how to lead it.