Susan Brennan

President and CEO, Susan Brennan Leadership LLC

Ambassador

Susan Brennan is a transformative Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer recognized for leading complex organizations through growth, operational scale-up, and cultural transformation. With a career that spans automotive manufacturing, clean energy, and advanced materials, she has built a reputation for solving the hardest problems through clarity, discipline, and trust-based leadership.

Brennan began her career in manufacturing management in 1989, steadily advancing through leadership of multiple assembly plants and ultimately overseeing the world’s largest automotive manufacturing facility by volume. Her ability to unify engineering, operations, and people around a common purpose led to major gains in quality, efficiency, and sustainability at Nissan North America. She later brought this experience to Silicon Valley, where she joined Bloom Energy and helped scale the company to profitability and a successful IPO.

At the core of Brennan’s leadership philosophy is a simple principle: never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. She leads by listening first—gathering data, aligning teams around a shared problem, and applying structured tools such as the Lencioni Advantage model and the Hoshin X Matrix to create alignment and measurable progress. Her approach is both analytical and deeply human: she values rigor, transparency, and collaboration while inspiring teams to achieve what once seemed impossible.

Known for her ability to enter stalled or struggling organizations and create order, Brennan has successfully led turnarounds and commercialization efforts in both Fortune 500 and start-up environments. Whether scaling clean energy technologies or restoring stakeholder confidence, she brings objectivity, strategic focus, and the credibility that comes only from experience.

Beyond her executive roles, Brennan is deeply committed to advancing women in leadership and technology. She is a member of C200, the International Women’s Forum, and founder of the Southern Automotive Women’s Forum. Her honors include Automotive News Top 100 Women in Automotive (2005 and 2010), Women in Supply Chain, Women of Influence in Silicon Valley, and the University of Nebraska–Omaha Citation Award for contributions to society.

A proud mother and lifelong learner, Brennan believes that leadership begins with example. Her blend of technical insight, operational discipline, and authentic care for people continues to shape organizations that not only perform—but endure.

Brennan earned her MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and her BS in Microbiology from the University of Illinois.