“Know that you have a right to be in the room. Make sure that you don’t feel invisible,” said Kym Hubbard, chief investment officer of Ernst & Young LLP (EY). “Being the ‘only’ helps you get noticed so be sure you always have something relevant to say.”
Kym was one of the panelists that spoke at a recent Ernst & Young LLP Black Professional Network and Advancing Black Executives Roundtable event at the historic Apollo Theater on June 18, 2015. The panel came together to discuss how a collectivistic culture can impact authenticity and influence success. This discussion explored perspectives on career management and diversity and inclusiveness business strategies.
The panel was led by Orlan Boston, the EY Americas Life Sciences Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) Leader, who engaged panelists on topics around authenticity in the workplace, mentorship and the benefits of incorporating diversity and inclusiveness initiatives into business strategy. The panelists included Kym Hubbard, Chief Investment Officer of Ernst & Young LLP; William Plummer, Chief Financial Officer of United Rentals; Michael Sneed, Vice President of Johnson & Johnson; Juanita Russell, Chief Financial Officer of MersCorp Holdings; and Anthony Redding, Chief Compliance Officer of Eastman Kodak. The panelists were joined by Mark Besca, the New York City Office Managing Partner of Ernst & Young LLP, who provided opening remarks and shared his personal story of how he leveraged his authenticity during his successful career. With more than 160 people in attendance, the audience comprised EY professionals as well as other professionals from the tri-state area marketplace.
