USC Marshall School of Business and USC Leventhal School of Accounting Deans’ Alumni Council hosted the 2026 Leadership Summit on March 27. The event annually gathers USC alumni and local business leaders for professional development and networking opportunities.

The 2026 Summit centered on the theme, “Leading Through Disruption,” a reference to how new technologies, like artificial intelligence, are rapidly shifting industries and rewriting job descriptions. This year’s event welcomed over 450 attendees, the largest attendance in the summit’s history.

In keeping with the theme of disruption, Dean Geoffrey Garrett opened the summit by emphasizing the need for Marshall to lead through times of industry upheaval.

“[We’re] feeling a lot of pressure, but good pressure, both at the business school level and at the university level, to keep up with the pace of change in the world,” Garrett said. “That’s the challenge.”

John Thorrington, co-president and general manager of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), provided the keynote address. Hired in 2015, the former soccer player has presided over the team in seven playoff appearances and received the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) Sporting Executive of the Year award.

Yet, Thorrington pointed out that LAFC’s success didn’t come easily. When the club first joined MLS as an expansion team, they faced a crowded L.A. sports and entertainment market. To survive and eventually thrive, Thorrington knew LAFC would need to stand out.

“If you think about being in a crowd, what is the fastest way to disappear? Blend in,” Thorrington said. “We said we’re not going to blend in. We set out very intentionally to do either what others weren’t willing to do or what they couldn’t do.”

Thorrington explained how LAFC married two seemingly contradictory concepts: a global brand with a local identity. The club invited Angelenos to take part in brainstorming events, building early community through bar meetups, whiteboard sessions, and even Expo Park drum circles. The organization enhanced the matchday experience with a state-of-the-art stadium and expanded their global recognition by acquiring world-famous players on the transfer market.

The co-president said the philosophy of disruption touched every part of club culture, but that past risk was essential to the organization’s current success. Rather than following trends and imitating rivals, Thorrington urged attendees to separate themselves from conventional wisdom.

“My recommendation to people, as you look to play the role of disruptor, is figure out who you want to be first and let that then inform your strategy. Do not do it in reverse,” Thorrington said. “Once you know who you are, you create this filter through which you can make your decisions. What that precludes you from doing is blowing in the wind.”