Reflection & commitment

As I reflect on Black History Month, I’m reminded of Black leaders in this industry who were able to rise to very senior levels as the exception vs. the rule. Leaders that I absolutely admire, like Mark Mason and Raymond McGuire – both of whom acted as mentors to me as I charted my career at 花旗 and now at Octaura .??

And while I’ve learned many lessons from leaders like these, it is clear to me that building a sufficiently diverse organization is not going to happen by accident. There are resources and effort required in broadening the talent pool to include more individuals from underrepresented communities like people of color and women.??

Personally, I’m bullish on increasing diversity in any business. Organizations, at their core, seek to solve a problem or set of problems and often there are many potential solutions. Creating an environment that honors diversity in every form will typically produce more optionality – and more optionality helps surface the superior solution.?

As CEO of Octaura , it’s not lost on me that I am in a position to help advise, guide and usher in the next wave of talented individuals. And I am committed to see Octaura be a place where people of color, women and other underrepresented communities are equally valued and represented both inside and outside the company.?

As we continue to grow our business, I hope to look back on these early days and point to the progress we made on that commitment to equity in the workforce, especially on representation.??