Bozoma Saint John

Who She Is

Bozoma Saint John is one of the most recognized marketing executives in the world, known for building some of the most culturally resonant brand moments of the past two decades across companies including Apple Music, Uber, and Netflix. Born in Connecticut and raised partly in Ghana, she studied English at Wesleyan University before beginning a career in marketing that took her from managing Pepsi's music and entertainment partnerships to the global stage at Apple, where she introduced Apple Music at the 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference in a presentation that became one of the most talked-about brand moments of the year. She went on to serve as Chief Brand Officer at Uber during one of the most turbulent periods in the company's history, and later as Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, where she oversaw the brand strategy for one of the most watched companies on earth. She has been named to Forbes' list of the World's Most Influential CMOs and has become one of the most visible advocates for diversity and authentic representation in marketing. Her memoir, "The Urgent Life," published in 2023, became a bestseller.

Why She Matters

Bozoma Saint John built her career on a belief that the best marketing does not just sell a product, it makes people feel seen. Her work at Apple Music, which leaned into Black culture and musical heritage at a time when many tech brands were playing it safe, demonstrated that authentic representation is not just the right thing to do but a powerful competitive advantage. At Uber, she took on the challenge of rebuilding a brand that had lost public trust, showing that marketing is not just about visibility but about the harder work of credibility and connection. Her career is a demonstration of what it looks like when someone brings their full self, their taste, their values, and their cultural fluency, to work every single day.