Ursula burns current position
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Ursula Burns has extensive international experience in leading large companies that are facing technology sea changes within their industries.
Ursula was the Chairwoman of the Board of Xerox Corporation from 2010 to 2017 and Chief Executive Officer from 2009 to 2016, after having been appointed President in 2007. Ursula joined Xerox as a summer intern in 1980 and held leadership posts spanning corporate services, manufacturing and product development. During her tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Ursula helped the company transform from a global leader in document technology to the world’s most diversified business services company serving enterprises and governments of all sizes. Shortly after being named CEO in 2009, Ursula spearheaded the largest acquisition in Xerox history, the $6.4 billion purchase of Affiliated Computer Services.
In 2016, Ursula led Xerox through a successful separation into two independent, publicly traded companies – Xerox Corporation, which is comprised of the company’s Document Technology and Document Outsourcing businesses, and Conduent Incorporated,
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“I’m Here Because I’m As Good As You”
In 2009 Ursula Burns was named CEO of Xerox, becoming the first Black woman to head a Fortune 500 company. It was the culmination of an amazing life journey, from a Manhattan tenement to the C-suite of one of America’s most iconic companies. She led Xerox for seven years, stepping down in 2016 after a bruising battle with the activist investor Carl Icahn, which led to the company’s breakup. Burns subsequently served as CEO of the global telecommunications firm Veon and still sits on several major corporate boards. She is an outspoken champion of inclusive capitalism and racial equity, themes that animate her just-published memoir, Where You Are Is Not Who You Are. She recently spoke from her home in London with HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius. Here are excerpts from the conversation.
Read more on Leadership or related topics Diversity and inclusion, Gender and Race
A version of this article appeared in the July–August 2021 issue of Harvard Business Review.
Adi Ignatius is the editor in chief of Harvard Business Review.
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Ursula Burns
American businessperson
Ursula M. Burns (born September 20, 1958) is an American businesswoman. Burns is known for her tenure as the CEO of Xerox from 2009 to 2016. In this role, Burns was the first black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. She is also the first woman to follow another as the head of a Fortune 500 company.[1][2] Burns remained the chairman at Xerox from 2010 to 2017.[3][4]
Burns is also known for serving on the board of directors of multiple large American companies, including Uber, American Express, and ExxonMobil. She was the chairperson and CEO of VEON from late 2018 to early 2020 and is the Non-Executive Chairwoman of Teneo.[5]
In 2021, Burns co-founded private equity firm Integrum Holdings.[6]
Under President Barack Obama Burns led the White House national program on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from 2009 to 2016.[7] Additionally, she was chairwoman of the President's Export Council from 2015 to 2016, following her role as vice chair from 2
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