Chairwoman, Teneo, Former CEO, Xerox
Monday, February 13, 2023
Video is available one week after the event date
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Series
Moderator:
Fred P. Hochberg
Principal, Hayday
Ursula Burns has extensive experience in leading large, international companies that are facing technology sea changes within their industries.
Burns 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. Burns joined Xerox as a summer intern in 1980 and has since held leadership posts spanning corporate services, manufacturing, and product development. During Burns' tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Burns 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, Burns spearheaded the largest acquisition in Xerox history, the $6.4 billion purchase of Affiliated Computer Services.
In 2016, Burns 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, a business process services company.
After her retirement from Xerox, Burns was appointed as Chairwoman of the Dutch-domiciled multinational telecommunication services company, VEON, Ltd. in 2017. Burns also became CEO of VEON in 2018 and held the position of both Chairwoman and CEO of VEON until June 2020.
Burns is a member of the Board of Directors of Exxon Mobil, Uber Technologies, Inc., and Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. She is also the Executive Chairwoman of Plum Acquisition Corp I and a founding partner of Integrum Holdings, a private-equity firm. In addition, Burns is on several private company boards, including Waystar, IHS Towers, and Hear.com, while also providing leadership counsel to several other community, educational and non-profit organizations including: the Ford Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Corporation, Cornell Tech Board of Overseers, the New York City Ballet and the Mayo Clinic, among others.
U.S. President Obama appointed Burns to lead the White House national program on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) from 2009 to 2016, and Burns served as Chair of the President’s Export Council from 2015 to 2016 after service as Vice Chair from 2010 to 2015.
Burns holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York University. Burns is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Royal Academy of Engineering, and the G7 Gender Equity Advisory Council.
Burns' book, Where You Are Is Not Who You Are, was published in June 2021.
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