Desiree Gruber

Through her multimedia agency Full Picture, Desiree Gruber has been instrumental in building some of the world’s most notable brands across fashion, entertainment, technology, and retail, including Victoria’s Secret, vitaminwater, and Living Proof, as well as strategically guiding the careers of high-profile personalities such as Heidi Klum. She advises clients such as Google, Oath, SAP, and Alex and Ani. And she helped create two of the most influential fashion properties of the past 20 years—the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Project Runway.

DGNL Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund, is an extension of her entrepreneurial success. It invests in startups that are smartly navigating the intersection of technology, lifestyle, and celebrity. Previously, Gruber has invested in notable companies such as popchips, Living Proof (acquired by Unilever), Songza (acquired by Google), and Fashion GPS (now Launchmetrics).

Gruber approaches her philanthropic endeavors with the same passion that fuels her businesses. She serves on the boards of the US Fund for UNICEF in New York City, Tech:NYC, a nonprofit representing New York City’s technology sector, and God’s Love We Deliver. She has been profiled in numerous publications, including O: The Oprah Magazine, Variety, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and New York Magazine.