Toyota Taps Diversified Search for Diversity Advisory Board Directors
December 11, 2015 – Diversified Search has recruited Jyoti Chopra as a member of the North American diversity advisory board for Toyota Motor Corporation. Earlier this fall, Diversified placed Howard W. Buffett, a lecturer in international and public affairs at Columbia University, to the same board. Both searches were led by Patrick Prout, managing director with responsibility for the firm’s financial services practice. He is also a member of Diversified’s industrial/manufacturing and corporate board practices.
Ms. Chopra is the global head of diversity and inclusion for BNY Mellon. She leads the financial institution’s diversity and inclusion practice, including overseeing its diversity and inclusion strategy and implementation, advancing diversity training and serving on its global diversity & inclusion council. In addition, she is a member of the company’s operating committee, and serves as the company’s representative to the Global Talent and Diversity Council of the Asia Society. Prior to her tenure at BNY Mellon, Ms. Chopra served as global leader for communications and public relations at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. In 2011, she led the development of Deloitte’s first global diversity report.
Mr. Buffett teaches management techniques to improve the effectiveness of international development, foreign aid and global philanthropy at Columbia. He also serves on the university’s management advisory board for the Earth Institute, a research institution that advances sustainable development programs. Previously, Mr. Buffett was the executive director of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which works to improve the lives of impoverished and marginalized populations across Africa and Latin America.
Created in 2002, Toyota’s diversity advisory board plays an integral role in fostering a diverse and inclusive culture at the company. Working closely with the organization’s senior leadership, the advisory board helps drive adoption of best practices and ensures executive accountability. Led by former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, the advisory board members are among the country’s most recognized leaders in diversity and related fields.
Today, new governance codes, regulations and increased public scrutiny require companies to take a fresh look at their membership and bring new perspectives, skills and backgrounds into the mix. Diversified Search’s board practice has a long track record of working with both public and private companies in identifying top talent for their boards. Its managing directors have over 30 years of experience serving on public company boards in various roles, including that of chairman.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
