EP 82: Thasunda Brown Duckett: Rewriting the Rules of Being a CEO

About this episode

Thasunda Brown Duckett discusses her journey as a CEO and the importance of authenticity in leadership.

Thasunda Brown Duckett has a seemingly endless list of honors to her name: TIME 100, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and, most recently, Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in Finance. She’s marking five years as President and CEO of TIAA, overseeing $1.6 trillion in assets. She is also one of just two Black women leading a Fortune 500 company. With women holding just 11% of CEO seats, she is passionate about seeing both numbers grow. “ I just think there is an opportunity to add another chapter of what it means to be a CEO,” remarked Thasunda Brown Duckett in her conversation with Karen Finerman. That means not only being an exceptional leader, but also showing the world more of her complete self. She is a married mother who says she needs a village to make it all work. She is also a deeply faithful person who doesn't shy away from sharing the difficult parts of her life. Whether it’s her childhood, which was “long on love” but often short on money, or the grief she felt when she lost her brother a few years ago, she understands that showing her three-dimensional self, while still being an extraordinary leader, helps others see their own potential. 💬 In this episode, we explore…

People in this episode

Host: Karen Finerman

Guest: Thasunda Brown Duckett

Topics covered

• leadership
• work-life balance
• diversity in business
• personal growth
• CEO experiences

Keywords

• CEO
• leadership
• diversity
• work-life balance
• TIAA
• Thasunda Brown Duckett
• Karen Finerman
• influence
• personal story

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TIAA, TIME, Fortune, Barron’s

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