View source for LGBTQ Chief Executive Officers of Business Enterprises

[[File:lgbtceo.jpg|200px|thumb|left|LGBTQ CEOs]]

History was made in 2014 when [[Tim Cook]], the Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc, publicly announced that he was gay.  He is the first CEO of a Fortune 500 company to openly declare himself a member of the LGBTQ community.  Tim Cook's venerable global profile ensured that his announcement became news around the world.  This represented a major step forward in the both the visibility of the LGBTQ community and its fight for equality.  His announcement filled a gap that existed in the advancement of LGBTQ rights around the world - the lack of an active LGBTQ business leader.  

It is important to have prominent LGBTQ individuals in the business community.  These individuals represent the public face of their corporations.  As such, the CEOs represent the company's employees, many of whom also identify as LGBTQ - having an out CEO shows their inclusion in the organization.  It also shows that one's sexual preference is not a barrier to either promotion or the ability to successfully manage a business enterprise.  The confidence for a CEO to be comfortable with his/her sexual preference reveals the honesty of the individual, thereby reflecting the values inherent in the company's culture.  Public disclosure shows leadership by example, an important trait in motivating others within a company.  

The presence of LGBTQ Chief Executive Officers in business enterprises helps to advance the efforts for global human rights.  These business enterprises operate differently from government organizations and non-profits through extensive networks of suppliers and customers.  By having visible LGBTQ leadership in the organization they are sending a message to those partners that being a member of a minority group does not impair the economic functioning of the relationship that has been established.   

There are many more current and past Chief Executive Officers of business companies around the world who identify as LGBTQ.  These leaders represent industries such as media, technology, fashion, communications, sports, biotechnology, consulting, publishing,, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, and more.  The CEOs come from Canada, Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Australia and the United States.

'''Argentina'''

* [[Hernan Lopez]], Fox International, Fox Latin American Channels

'''Australia'''

* [[John Allan]], Sensis
* [[Matthew McCarron]], Lewis Land Group
* [[Tanya Sale]], Outsource Financial
* [[Jeff Weeden]], Forager Funds Management

'''Austria'''

* [[Juergen Maier]], Siemens UK

'''Canada'''

* [[Mark S. Bonham]], BPI Financial Corporation, Strategic Value Corporation
* [[David Clemmer]], Judy Inc.
* [[Heather Conway]], Edelman Canada
* [[Dax Dasilva]], Lightspeed Commerce Inc.
* [[David Furnish]], Rocket Entertainment Group
* [[Renee Gagnon]], Emerald Health, HollyWeed North Cannabis Inc.
* [[Heward Grafftey]], SafetySense
* [[Mark Johnston]], Fusion Television
* [[Ken Popert]], Pink Triangle Press
* [[Mandy Rennehan]], Freshco
* [[Brandon Truaxe]], Decieme
* [[Jaime Watt]], Navigator Ltd.
* [[Massey Whiteknife]], ICEIS Safety
* [[Dave Wilkin]], Redwood Strategic

'''Denmark'''

* [[Tommy Ahlers]], ZYB, Podio

'''France'''

* [[Jean-Jacques Aillagon]], TV5Monde
* [[Laurent Claquin]], Tomas Maier
* [[Jean-Paul Cluzel]], Radio France Internationale, Radio France
* [[Sue Nabi]], Orveda/Lancome/L'Oreal
* [[Guillaume Pepy]], SNCF
* [[Donald Potard]], Jean-Paul Gaultier, Marchpole Holdings

'''Germany'''

* [[Eva Kreienkamp]], Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR (BVG, Berlin's transportation network)

'''Great Britain'''

* [[Charles Allen]], Global Radio Group, ISS, 2 Sisters Food Group
* [[Mark Anderson]], Connect Airways
* [[Christopher Bailey]], Burberry Group
* [[Inga Beale]], Lloyds of London Insurance Group
* [[Brian Bickell]], Shaftesbury PLC
* [[Lord John Browne]], British Petroleum
* [[Darren Burn]], Global Out
* [[Stephen Clarke]], WH Smith
* [[Paul Flowers]], CoOp Bank
* [[Sara Geater]], FreemantleMedia
* [[Robyn Grew]], MAN Group
* [[Tim Hely Hutchinson]], Hachette Publishing
* [[David Hynam]], BUPA
* [[Stephen Jacques]], Key Assets - The Children's Services Provider
* [[Jeffrey Kofman]], Trint
* [[Thomas Lawson]], FTB Lawson Ltd.
* [[Scott McGregor]], Camco Clean Energy PLC
* [[Mark McNulty]], JLT Investment Management Ltd. 
* [[Tim Millward]], Extrastaff Limited
* [[Tracy Myhill]], Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
* [[Philip Bourchier O'Ferrall]], Outernet Global
* [[Paul Reed]],  BP IST
* [[Iain Renwick]], Liberty department store
* [[David Shelley]], Hachette Publishing
* [[Andrew Swaffield]], Monarch Airlines Group
* [[Robert Taylor]], Kleinwort Benson Private Banking
* [[Derek Walker]], Wales Cooperative Centre
* [[Sarah Weir]], Aldsgate Group
* [[Stephen Whitehead]], ABPI (The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries)
* [[Julie Wilson]], Optimus Cards Group

'''Greece'''

* [[Nikos Morantis]], Travel by Interest

'''Ireland'''

* [[Alan Joyce]], Quantas Airways
* [[Martin Shanahan]], IDA Ireland

'''Japan'''

* [[Moriaki Kida]], Ernst & Young Japan

'''Spain'''

* [[Alfonso Cobo]], Unfold
* [[Jesus Encinar]], Idealista.com

'''Sweden'''

* [[Peter Arvai]], Prezi

'''Thailand'''

* [[Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip]], JKN Global Products Public Company Limited

'''The Netherlands'''

* [[Sander van 't Noordende]], Ranstad NV, Accenture 

'''United States'''

* [[George Arison]], GrindR
* [[Sam Altman]], OpenAI
* [[Zel Anders]], Tomboy Tailors
* [[Diane Anderson-Minshall]], Pride Media
* [[Susan Arnold]], Proctor & Gamble
* [[Michael Belkin]], Distinc..t
* [[Riese Bernard]], Autostraddle
* [[Sue Black]], Milwaukee Wave
* [[David Bohnett]] - GeoCities, Baroda Ventures
* [[Sharon Brackett]], Tiresias Technologies
* [[Harlan Bratcher]], Reed Krakoff, A/X Armani Exchange
* [[Michelle Brooke-Marciniak]], SHEEX, Inc.
* [[Zach Buchwald]], Russell Investments
* [[Trevor Burgess]], Neptune Flood Insurance, C1 Bank
* [[Martha Michele Burns]], Mercer, Marsh & McLennan
* [[Elizabeth Burr]], Rite Aid
* [[Michael C. Camunez]], CEO Monarch Global Strategies
* [[Sarah Carson]], Leota (women's wear fashion)
* [[Natasha Case]], Coolhaus (ice cream products company)
* [[Demion Clinco]], Frontier Consulting Group, Inc.
* [[James Cole Jr.]], Jasco
* [[Paul Colichman]], Here! Media
* [[Chip Conley]], Joe de Vivre Hospitality
* [[Tim Cook]], Apple Inc.
* [[Ruth Crowell]], London Bullion Market Association
* [[John Cuomo]], VSE Corporation
* [[Barry Diller]], IAC/Interactive Corp, Expedia Inc.
* [[Daniel Duty]], Conlego
* [[Amy Errett]], Madison Reed, Olivia
* [[James Fitterling]], Dow Chemical Company
* [[Beth Ford]], Land'O Lakes, Inc.
* [[Jeff Gennette]], Macy's, Inc.
* [[Tim Gill]], Quark; Gill Action Fund
* [[Robert Greenblatt]], NBC Entertainment
* [[Jason Grenfell-Gardner]], IGI Laboratories
* [[Robert Hanson]], John Hardy Inc, American Eagle Outfitters
* [[Paul Hastings]], Nkarta Therapeutics
* [[James Hilt]], Asset Management Services
* [[Ari Hoffman]], Ted Baker, Scotch & Soda, Benetton, Gant
* [[Moj Mahdara]], Beautycon Media
* [[Rose Marcario]], Patagonia
* [[Chris McCarthy]], MTV/VH1/Logo
* [[Kevin McClatchy]], Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club
* [[Jonathan Mildenhall]], TwentyFirstCenturyBrand
* [[Henry Munoz III]], Munoz & Company
* [[Ken Ohashi]], Brooks Brothers
* [[Irma Olguin Jr.]], Bitwise Industries
* [[Lisa Padilla]], Beryl Therapeutics
* [[Jennifer Pritzker]], Tawani Enterprises
* [[Jana Rich]], Rich Talent Group
* [[Tom Rielly]], PlanetOut
* [[Tanisha Robinson]], W*nder
* [[Rich Ross]], Discover Channel, Shine America, Walt Disney Studios
* [[Martine Rothblatt]], United Therapeutics
* [[Angela Ruggiero]], Sports Innovation Lab
* [[Joseph Schneier]], Trusty.care
* [[Tristan Schukraft]], MISTR (telemedicine)
* [[Jeffrey Schwarz]], Automat Pictures
* [[Lauren Scott]], Alkcon Corporation
* [[Paul Sekhri]], eGenesis
* [[Laura Shawver]], Silverback Therapeutics
* [[Jim Shreve]], Baccarat North America
* [[Darrell Silver]], Thinkful
* [[Joel Simkhai]], Grindr
* [[Peter Sisson]], Line2
* [[Megan Smith]], PlanetOut
* [[Myrna Soto]], Apogee Executive Advisors
* [[Theresa Sparks]], Good Vibrations
* [[Gary Steele]], Splunk, Portera
* [[Christine Svendsen]], Sapphire Books
* [[Daniel Swisher]], NodThera Pharmaceuticals
* [[Alicia Syrett]], Pantegrion Capital LLC
* [[Peter Thiel]], PayPal
* [[Wayne Ting]], Lime (electric vehicle company)
* [[Geoffroy van Raemdonck]], Nieman Marcus Bergdorf Goodman
* [[Raymond Watt]], Omnislash, Inc.
* [[Rick Welts]], Phoenix Suns Basketball Team

==See Also==

* [[LGBTQ Chief Information/Technology Officers]]
* [[Union Leaders Who Identify as LGBTQ]]
* [[LGBTQ Economists]]
* [[Noteworthy LGBTQ Individuals in the Accounting Profession]]
* [[Human Resource Professionals Who Are LGBTQ]]
* [[Marketing Professionals Who Identify as LGBTQ]]
* [[Prominent LGBTQ Philanthropists and Donors]]
* [[LGBTQ Billionaires]]
* [[LGBTQ Venture Capitalists and Startup Advisors]]
* [[LGBTQ Bankers]]
* [[Investment and Wealth Management and the LGBTQ Community]]
* [[Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Officers Who Identify as LGBTQ]]
* [[The LGBTQ Presence in the Insurance Industry]]
* [[Transgender Business Leaders]]
* [[LGBTQ Chief Legal, Compliance and Risk Officers]]
* [[Chief Operating Officers of Business Enterprises Who Are LGBTQ]]
* [[Chamber of Commerce LGBTQ Leaders]]
* [[Public Relations Experts From the LGBTQ Community]]
* [[Chief of Staff Positions Held by LGBTQ Individuals]]
* [[Auto and Transportation Experts Who Identify as LGBTQ]]

==Further Reading/Research==

* http://www.advocate.com/business/2015/01/05/tim-cook-and-way-ahead?page=0,0
* http://www.hrmonline.ca/hr-news/we-need-more-lgbt-leaders--says-accenture-ceo-187598.aspx
* http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443295404577547043705374610

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