Bristol Myers Squibb Turns to Carrington & Carrington for Chief Diversity Officer

April 2, 2021 – Competitive companies, organizations and government agencies know that diversity matters. Simply put, the demographics of the nation must mirror the workforce.

Research shows that organizations that unleash the potential of diverse talent innovate faster and see better business results. According to executive recruiters, it starts by attracting proven talent with diverse perspectives, experiences, and contributions, then building and nurturing an environment where everyone can do their best work.

Diversity and inclusion efforts continue to gain traction at executive search firms, reflecting both their clients and the workplace they serve to populate. Chicago-based Carrington & Carrington was recently enlisted to find a chief diversity officer for Bristol Myers Squibb. The search firm is seeking candidates with strong experience in the international arena with an ability to navigate complex, matrixed corporate environments. But the winning candidate must have a passion for diversity and inclusion. In addition, Carrington & Carrington is looking for an executive with proven leadership experience, comfortable and articulate in communicating with the C-suite and board. The position is based in Lawrenceville, NJ.

2021 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Report:
Building a Balanced and Diverse Workforce

Hunt Scanlon Media’s latest market intelligence recruiting report – this time focused on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – will be available later this fall! The nation’s top executive recruiters are resetting expectations and looking for new ways forward to build balanced and diverse workforce teams for their clients.

According to executive recruiters, DE&I should not just be a priority, but an integrated part of every company’s leadership goals. Some companies have even tied DE&I metrics to executive compensation. But it’s more than that.

Part of building strong, diverse hiring teams means asking yourself: “Who is my company culture going to attract – and how will it engage people who are here?” This question can be very difficult to answer if you assume everyone feels welcome already just because you do. Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within organizations is more than just the right ethical decision. “It is one of the best business decisions a company can make,” said Keri Gavin, a partner with Hanold Associates and leader of the search firm’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice. Hanold Associates is a proud sponsor of this year’s report. This report will help organizations prioritize DE&I as a business imperative that drives greater competitiveness, innovation and business results. Get it now! 

Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio recently shared a note to the company about its commitment to accelerate and expand health equity and diversity and inclusion efforts. “As a company, we have had many conversations about the serious challenges facing the black/African-American community and have learned a great deal since the death of George Floyd,” he said. “The global COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed persistent health disparities that leave under-resourced and minority communities at greater risk of poor health outcomes. Now more than ever, we recognize our role in creating the change needed to address the health disparities and racial inequality present in our rapidly changing communities.”

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines for patients with serious diseases. Its medicines are helping millions of patients around the world in disease areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, immunoscience, fibrosis and others. Through the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, the company also promotes health equity and seek to improve health outcomes of populations disproportionately affected by serious diseases and conditions.

Related: Bridge Partners Recruits Chief Diversity Officer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation recently announced a combined investment of $300 million over the next five years to accelerate health equity and diversity and inclusion efforts. “We expect this investment will help diverse populations and, as an extension, improve outcomes across all populations impacted by the diseases on which we focus,” Mr. Caforio said.

Respected Recruiters

Carrington & Carrington, with offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, was founded in 1979 and specializes in the recruitment and placement of African-Americans, Latinos, women, LGBT and other diverse professionals. It places middle management and senior level executives across various industries and functional areas. Co-founded by Willie and Marian Carrington, the firm ranks as one of the most respected African-American-owned search firms in the nation.

Mr. Carrington has played and continues to play a significant role in increasing the representation of diverse professionals in major companies including banking, finance, manufacturing, and utilities. Prior to this, he was executive director of Inroads/Chicago and an auditor for the former CPA firm Arthur Andersen & Company.

Ms. Carrington is heavily focused in the firm’s healthcare, academic, and non-profit sectors. She was previously a human resources and operations executive with Allstate Insurance. She focuses in large part on the healthcare, academic and non-profit sectors.

Related: Carrington & Carrington Recruits Chief Diversity Officer for McDonald’s

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media