Catalyst welcomes Accenture CEO Julie Sweet as new Board Chair
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| Published onNew York, New York – Catalyst, the global expert in accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion, welcomes Accenture CEO Julie Sweet as its new Board Chair and eight new Board members to its Board of Directors. Sweet, a current Board member, was elected as Board Chair on March 18. She succeeds former Lockheed Martin Chairman, President, and CEO, Marillyn Hewson. She is also the third woman to chair the Board. Sweet follows Hewson and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the first woman to serve as Catalyst Board Chair. Named Accenture CEO in September 2019, Sweet served as Chief Executive Officer of Accenture’s business in North America. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum and serves on the Board of Directors for the Business Roundtable. She also was named No. 1 on Fortune Magazine’s 2020 “Most Powerful Women”. “I am honored to serve as the new Chair of the Catalyst Board and would like to thank Marillyn Hewson for her outstanding leadership and vision,” said Sweet. “This is a pivotal time to rebuild and reimagine the world we live in, and in doing so, we can accelerate gender equality in all parts of business and society. I look forward to collaborating with our new Board members, along with Catalyst leaders and supporters, to drive a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.” The new appointees, who joined the Board in January and March, bring a wide range of experience to Catalyst’s Board:
- Jim Fitterling is Chairman and CEO of Dow, who serves as Executive Sponsor of Dow’s Global African Affinity Network and is known for his work supporting LGBTQ+ non-discrimination and workplace equality. He is a member of the Out Leadership Global Advisory Board and serves on the Boards of 3M, the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the American Chemistry Council.
- Ilham Kadri is CEO of the Solvay Group, Chair of its Executive Committee, a member of the Board of Directors and serves on the Boards of A.O. Smith and L’Oreal.
- Paul Knopp is Chair and CEO of KPMG LLP. He also serves on the Boards of the Center for Audit Quality, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, Partnership for New York City, and the US-India Business Council.
- Andrew McMahon is CEO and President of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. He also serves on the Boards of the American Council of Life Insurers, the Partnership for New York City and the New York State Insurance Advisory Board.
- Kristin Peck is Chief Executive Officer of Zoetis and serves on the company’s Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Business Roundtable and Columbia Business School’s Advisory Board of the Deming Center for Quality, Productivity and Competitiveness. She was named a Fortune 2020 Businessperson of the Year.
- James Taiclet is Chairman, President, and CEO of Lockheed Martin. He previously served as Chairman, President, and CEO of American Tower Corporation.
- Hamdi Ulukaya is the Founder and CEO of Chobani. He founded the Tent Partnership for Refugees and was named an Eminent Advocate by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). He is also a recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
- Darryl White is Chief Executive Officer of BMO Financial Group. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Catalyst Canada Advisory Board.
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