Former CEO of Xerox
Ursula Burns is a businesswoman and former CEO of Xerox. She began her career at Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineer, and rose through the ranks to become the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. She served as CEO from 2009 to 2016. Under her leadership, Xerox went through a major transformation, shifting its focus from being a traditional document technology company to a business services and technology company.
As a Renaissance marketer, Burns demonstrated a multi-disciplinary approach to her role as CEO, utilizing her background in engineering to lead the company’s technology strategy and innovation. Additionally, she had a long-term vision for the company, leading the company’s transformation over a period of several years. She also balanced the art and science of marketing by utilizing both data and intuition to make strategic decisions for the company.
In an interview with Forbes, Burns said,
Marketing is about understanding the customer, understanding what they need and developing a product that meets that need. It’s about creating value for the customer and for the company.
Ursula Burns
Another example of her being a Renaissance marketer is her ability to lead the company’s business services and technology strategy, which helped the company to diversify its revenue streams and reduce its dependency on the traditional document technology business. She also led the acquisition of several companies to expand the company’s portfolio of services and products. She also made sure to balance the budget, making sure that expenses are under control and that the company is profitable, which helped to stabilize the company’s finances.
Burns also had a strong focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and she implemented several initiatives to reduce the company’s environmental impact, and to support education and diversity.
Her approach to leadership is also considered a Renaissance as she has a unique ability to connect with employees at all levels of the company, and she fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration. She also emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion, and she was a strong advocate for women in leadership roles.
In conclusion, Ursula Burns is a true example of a Renaissance marketer, she was multi-disciplinary, had a long-term vision, and balanced the art and science of marketing throughout her tenure as CEO of Xerox.