Barry Lawson Williams

"Barry Lawson Williams,  an incredible leader I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for nearly a  decade, has devoted his life to serving at the highest levels. Black  Women on Boards celebrated his legacy by awarding him a Lift As We Climb  award at our summit last year... "

"On this very special episode of Silicon Valley Vibes, our host Nadia  Anderson spent the afternoon talking with Barry Lawson Williams about  his life, his legacy, his lessons, his Black Corporate Directors Time  Capsule Project, and finally, his Black Directors Video Archive Project."

"Barry is one of two 2022 John W. Gardner Awardees at this year's Exemplary Leadership Celebration held on April 28.  Barry Lawson Williams is the retired Managing General Partner of the investment and consulting company that he founded in San Francisco in 1987. Williams Pacific Ventures (WPV) focuses on startups, acquisitions and real estate. Barry recently..."

""With our thanks for your lifetime of helping others soar," Black Women On Boards Co-Founder Robin Washington,  shown at left, read from the etched inscription on the Lift As We Climb  award she presented at our recent summit to the iconic Barry Lawson Williams, shown here with some of his prominent fans..."

"In this episode, Ian and Nique are joined by Barry Lawson Williams to discuss the importance of building black representation on corporate boards across the United States. When it comes to corporate America, Barry’s life exemplifies the vision, character, and insight worthy of a career business executive who has served on 14 public company boards. A few years ago..."

"People worry about AI systems making decisions. What if they make an  error? Worse, what if the machines are biased and create disparate  impact? We have already seen Google’s hate speech detector have a racial bias problem and Amazon’s AI recruiting tool that was sexist.  Most people agree that diversity and inclusion (D&I) are core to  building trustworthy, responsible AI..."

"In this episode, Byron Loflin, Nasdaq Global Head of Board Engagement, is joined by Barry Lawson Williams,  retired Managing General Partner, Williams Pacific Ventures, Inc., who shares his boardroom experiences as a Black director, insights about  building an effective board, and the meaning behind his Black Corporate Directors Time Capsule Project..."

"Women, once a rarity on corporate boards, have made real gains in recent years following concerted campaigns by big investors to  increase gender diversity and state legislation that set targets. Now, after the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, the racial make-up of boards is getting a closer look..."

"Nike has been talking this talk for the past quarter century: Diversity, inclusion, equality. The  company's ads, which famously encouraged America to "Just Do It," have  celebrated disabled athletes, female participation in sports and Colin Kaepernick, the outcast NFL player who protested racial injustice in 2016.

This year, after George Floyd, a Black man, died under the knee..."

"C-Suite recently sat down with Barry Williams, a retired board director, who has served on 14 corporate boards during his illustrious career. Williams recently published the “Black Corporate Directors Time Capsule Project” to capture insight from 50 seasoned African American directors on their experiences serving on corporate boards. Williams discussed findings from the study..." 

"After taking up the challenge of increasing board gender diversity,  companies are now increasingly facing the challenge of achieving board  racial diversity.  Recent social unrest over systemic racial injustice  has pushed racial inequity into sharp relief, leading many companies to  consider actions they could take to implement the needed systemic  transformation. Because..."

"Over the course of several decades, Williams, who ran his own consulting and  investment company for many years, has served on 14 public company boards, including prominent institutions such as Sallie Mae, Navient Corporation, and PG&E, where he was the lead director. While on boards, it was not unusual for Williams to be the lone Black member..."