Kristin Cardwell

Kristin Cardwell is VP of International Strategy and Business Development for Refinery29, where she leads business development efforts out of London focused on Refinery29’s international growth, expansion, and diversification.

Prior to Refinery29, Kristin was part of WPP’s Fellowship, where she worked in various roles across the world’s largest agency holding company, including Associate Director, Business Development, EMEA at WPP Digital. There, her remit was growing the digital business through startup investments, partnerships, and strategic projects across WPP’s portfolio.

Prior to WPP, Kristin was a Global Brand Manager at L’Oreal in New York, where she drove new brand and product development at Maybelline for cosmetics and skincare lines with revenues of over $140 million in both Western and Asian markets. Kristin has also worked as a consultant with various startups across e-commerce, retail, and streaming video.

Kristin is passionate about women’s economic empowerment and improving the portrayal of women in media and culture. She was founding co-chair of the Young Professionals Network for Women’s World Banking, a microfinance organization focused on low-income women entrepreneurs.

Kristin holds an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business, a B.S. in Communications and a B.A. in Spanish from The University of Texas.