Mr Cooper Group hires Leonard McLaughlin as Chief Diversity Officer

US home loan service provider Mr Cooper Group has announced the appointment of Leonard McLaughlin as its new Chief Diversity Officer.

McLaughlin brings more than 15 years of experience leading diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategies to foster inclusive and equitable environments for organisations. In this new role, McLaughlin will spearhead Mr Cooper Group’s ongoing efforts to attract, retain and grow diverse talent and drive DE&I strategies that enhance the employee experience and ensure inclusivity is embedded in the company’s practices as it relates to our customers and vendors. Additionally, McLaughlin will lead the company’s community outreach initiatives and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programme, in an effort to ensure the group’s societal impact and DEI practices are foundational and showcased to team members, customers and investors.

“Our team members are our greatest asset at Mr Cooper Group, and in the last several years we’ve collectively created a more inclusive culture built on understanding and valuing our differences,” said Jay Bray, Chairman and CEO of Mr Cooper Group. “We are excited to welcome Leonard to our team and know his experience in DE&I leadership centred around employee engagement and comprehensive strategy will be valuable to our organisation.”

STRONG DIVERSITY & INCLUSION TRACK RECORD

Prior to joining Mr Cooper Group, McLaughlin had a 15-year track record of creating innovative solutions to embed diversity and inclusion into corporate strategies, launching multiple DE&I initiatives at several of his former organisations, including financial services firm Gallagher and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Earlier in his career, McLaughlin was the President of an initiative at Aon Corporation; which was the first Fortune 500 professional services firm to offer clients access to a private network of minority and women-owned business enterprises. He grew this initiative from a start-up to a division that built a pipeline of partnerships with strong minority businesses.

Commenting on the appointment, McLaughlin stated: “Mr Cooper Group’s transparent nature and inclusive people-first culture stood out to me as elements of a workplace where team members feel empowered to bring their authentic selves to work each day. I look forward to playing a role in the company’s ongoing efforts to foster an exceptional and equitable workplace and business.”