People

Ursula Burns has extensive international experience in leading large companies that are facing technology sea changes within their industries.

Ursula was the Chairwoman of the Board of Xerox Corporation from 2010 to 2017 and Chief Executive Officer from 2009 to 2016, after having been appointed President in 2007. Ursula joined Xerox as a summer intern in 1980 and held leadership posts spanning corporate services, manufacturing and product development. During her tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Ursula helped the company transform from a global leader in document technology to the world’s most diversified business services company serving enterprises and governments of all sizes. Shortly after being named CEO in 2009, Ursula spearheaded the largest acquisition in Xerox history, the $6.4 billion purchase of Affiliated Computer Services.

In 2016, Ursula led Xerox through a successful separation into two independent, publicly traded companies – Xerox Corporation, which is comprised of the company’s Document Technology and Document Outsourcing businesses, and Conduent Incorporated, a business process services company. After her retirement from Xerox, Ursula was appointed as Chairwoman of VEON, Ltd. in 2017. She became Chairwoman and CEO in December 2018 until June 2020. During her tenure at VEON, Ursula successfully steered the company through various compliance and restructuring changes.

Ursula is a founding partner of Integrum Holdings, a private equity firm and a Non-Executive Chairwoman of Teneo Holdings LLC. She is also a member of the Uber Technologies, Inc., Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc., TSMC Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited and IHS Holding Board of Directors. In addition, Ursula is on several private company boards, while also providing leadership counsel to several community, educational and non-profit organizations including the Ford Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Corporation, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Mayo Clinic, amongst others.

U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Ursula to lead the White House national program on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) from 2009 – 2016, and she served as Chair of the President’s Export Council from 2015 – 2016 after service as Vice Chair from 2010 – 2015. In February 2022, Ursula joined the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Advisory Council on Supply Chain Competitiveness as Vice Chair.

Ursula holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York University. Ursula is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Royal Academy of Engineering and the G7 Gender Equity Advisory Council.

Her book “Where You Are Is Not Who You Are” was published in June 2021.