• by Steve Smith , Staff Writer @popeyesm, June 7, 2024

The reported “backlash” against corporate DEI efforts notwithstanding, the diversification of the C-Suite is as inevitable as it can be achingly slow. Democracy doesn’t appear magically or even organically. It takes deliberate cultivation. Modeling, mentoring, peer support are at least as important as corporate policy. And that is where the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA) comes in. BECA not only helps companies cultivate a new more representative generation of executives, it recruits the C-suite itself to create opportunity, access and equality by sharing experience with rising Black marketers. 

Jerri DeVard is BECA’s founder and CEO and herself a frequent flier through glass ceilings. She has a storied career that includes C-level roles at Office Depot, ADT, Nokia and Verizon. She was recently inducted into the American Advertising Foundation’s Hall of Fame. We spoke with Jerri about the “playbook” she brings to CMOs and companies. You can listen to the entire podcast at this link.