Black Elites

The executives and thinkers setting the standard.

Interviews, essays and reporting from the boardrooms where the next decade is being decided.

In Leadership

After the NBA: John Celestand’s Journey Into Media Leadership 

John Celestand won an NBA championship, but he didn’t spend the rest of his life coasting on it. He didn’t lock himself into a forever career in front of the camera, either. After nearly a...

When Cars Became Software, Olabisi Boyle Was Already There

For decades, the formula for reaching the top in automotive was simple: master engineering, manufacturing, and product development. Brand strategy and customer experience were someone else’s...

How Buying His First Stock at 30 Led Stanley Rameau to Build Renavest

Every investor has an origin story: the stock that flipped a switch somewhere in their head. Stanley Rameau’s switch flipped late. He was 30 when he bought his first share. Not 22. Not fresh out...

Stephen Curry’s 3 Rules That Forced the NBA Hall of Fame to Make an Exception

For several years, an unwritten rule existed in the basketball sport. The Hall of Fame was meant for retired guys. Even the absolute biggest stars of the game have to wait till retirement to get...

The John W. Thompson Playbook: Three rules, two turnarounds, and $1.5 trillion in Created Value

In February 2014, Microsoft was a company in crisis. The tech giant had lost its innovative edge, was missing the mobile revolution, and was perceived as having a toxic, siloed culture. The board had...

How Adebayo Ogunlesi Built a $100B Empire From Essential Assets

Few people thought an airport needed reinventing. In 2009, in the bleak aftermath of the global financial crisis, London’s Gatwick Airport was put up for sale. A Competition Commission order had...

Thasunda Brown Duckett Biography: From Texas Roots to Fortune 100 CEO of TIAA

Thasunda Brown Duckett’s ascent to the top of TIAA is more than just a corporate success story. It highlights issues like money, access, retirement insecurity, and what happens when someone who grew...

Tristan Walker’s Leadership Style: What Sets Him Apart

The Simple Answer: He Builds from Lived Experience Tristan Walker’s leadership style stands out because it combines personal conviction, cultural awareness, brand discipline, and a focus on building...

Tristan Walker’s Career Timeline: Key Milestones in Business and Innovation

Tristan Walker’s career is more than just a list of jobs, funding rounds, and board positions. It tells the story of how one founder turned cultural insights into effective business strategies...