Global executive search and leadership advisory firm Spencer Stuart has announced the appointment of Dr Tony Byers as the firm’s Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer (CIDO).
In fact, Byers has served as a member of Spencer Stuart’s group of external Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) advisors, for more than a year.
“Tony brings a wealth of expertise to our firm, having spent nearly three decades championing diversity, equity and inclusion across various industries and companies,” stated Ben Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Spencer Stuart. “We have benefited greatly from his wisdom and dedication to this work over the past year, and I am confident his leadership will not only strengthen our Firm, but help us deepen our impact with clients, candidates and society more broadly.”
ADVANCING DE&I AGENDA GLOBALLY
As CIDO, Byers will advance Spencer Stuart’s strategic DE&I agenda globally and deepen the firm’s impact in the market; expanding on work well under way to nurture greater representation across the firm’s teams and a culture of inclusion in which each person at the firm feels supported and accepted, with DE&I fully embedded in all aspects of the organisation.
“Elevating the outcomes of diversity, equity and inclusion to one of the most important business imperatives of our time is my passion, and it’s one that Spencer Stuart shares,” said Byers. “As I’ve experienced over the past 14 months, the firm is deeply committed to DE&I and I am excited to continue this journey and build on our momentum with the team globally.”
EXTENSIVE DE&I EXPERTISE
Byers has more than 30 years of experience in DE&I. Over the past five years, he has served as a DE&I thought leader, public speaker and strategic advisor to clients through the management consulting firm he founded. In addition, Byers served as Senior Faculty and Director of the Modern Chief Diversity Officer Program (MCDO) at Cornell University’s ILR School, Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS), collaborating with senior executives to develop and lead impactful D&I strategies. Prior to this, he successfully led and helped to revitalise D&I efforts in several global organizations. Byers led DE&I globally at Starbucks during a period of high growth and international expansion. He was also the Global D&I Leader at H.J. Heinz Company and spent three years at Cargill focusing on D&I in the North America and Western Europe.
In addition, Byers spent 10 years as an organisational change and diversity consultant and was an adjunct faculty member at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn. for eight years. In 2018, he authored the book The Multiplier Effect of Inclusion: How Diversity & Inclusion Advances Innovation and Drives Growth. Byers received his doctorate in Human and Organisational Systems and his master’s degree in Organisational Systems from Fielding Graduate University.
Check out our Movers and Shakers section, for more new appointments and diversity champions in the DE&I, ESG and wellbeing space.
Board diversity in the S&P 500 is continuing to improve, according to Spencer Stuart’s latest US Board Index. Click here to read more.
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