Ursula Burns, CEO
“As I've progressed in my career, I've come to appreciate -- and really value -- the other attributes that define a company's success beyond the P&L: great leadership, long-term financial strength, ethical business practices, evolving business strategies, sound governance, powerful brands, values-based decision-making.” - Ursula Burns, Chairman and CEO
When Burns joined Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering summer intern, the company was the leader in the global photocopying market. As she later assumed roles in product development and planning, the company was securing its leadership position in digital document technologies. From 1992 through 2000, Burns, at a pivotal point in the company’s history, led several business teams including the company’s color business and office network printing business. In 2000, Burns was named senior vice president, Corporate Strategic Services, heading up manufacturing and supply chain operations. Alongside then-CEO Anne Mulcahy, Burns worked to restructure Xerox through its turnaround to emerge as a leader in color technology and document services. A key factor in the company’s turnaround was its research and development of new products and technologies, and at the time Burns was responsible for leading Xerox's global research as well as product development, marketing and delivery. In April 2007, Burns was named president of Xerox, expanding her leadership to also include the company's IT organization, corporate strategy, human resources, corporate marketing and global accounts. At that time, she was also elected a member of the company’s Board of Directors. Burns was named chief executive officer in July 2009 and shortly after, made the largest acquisition in Xerox history, the $6.4 billion purchase of Affiliated Computer Services, catapulting the company’s presence in the $500 billion business services market and extending the company’s reach into diverse areas of business process and IT outsourcing. On May 20, 2010, Burns became chairman of the company, leading the 140,000 people of Xerox who serve clients in more than 160 countries. Building on Xerox’s legacy of innovation, they’re enabling workplaces – from small businesses to large global enterprises -- to simplify the way work gets done so they can focus more on what matters most: their real business. Burns earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of NYU and a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University. In addition to the Xerox board, she is a board director of the American Express Corporation and Exxon Mobil Corporation. Burns also provides leadership counsel to community, educational and non-profit organizations including FIRST - (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), National Academy Foundation, MIT, and the U.S. Olympic Committee, among others. She is a founding board director of Change the Equation, which focuses on improving the U.S.’s education system in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In March 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Burns vice chair of the President’s Export Council. Ursula Burns in the News“50 Most Powerful Women in Business”, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2012 Ursula Burns No. 7 on Fortune’s list. “Xerox C.E.O. on the company’s ‘earth-shattering transformation”, New York Times Bits, 2 Oct. 2012 Ursula Burns discusses the “earth shattering” transformation Xerox has gone through to move from selling copiers to a more service-based company that helps firms handle business processes. “The 100 women who run the world”, Forbes, 22 Aug. 2012 Ursula Burns No. 17 featured on Forbes list. “Engineering her way to the top: Ursula Burns blazes the trail at Xerox”, AllVoices.com, 22 July 2012 Profile of Ursula Burns and her path to becoming CEO of Xerox. "Xerox eyes tuck-in acquisitions to foster growth", Reuters, 14 June 2012 Ursula Burns spoke to Reuters staff at Global Media Summit in New York. “Growth of outsourcing simplifies transportation operations”, ITS International, May 2012 In conjunction with talk at the 2012 ITS America Annual Meeting, Ursula talks with ITS International about Xerox’s new role in the intelligent transportation sector. “Xerox CEO: 'If you don't transform, you're stuck'”, NPR, 23 May 2012 In an interview with NPR’s Renee Montagne, Ursula Burns talks about her career at Xerox, how being a black woman affected her ascent and her role as a leader of the iconic brand that is Xerox. Ursula also discusses Xerox’s main goals, its transformation and where she is looking steer the company going forward. “Xerox CEO on taking risks”, CNBC, 22 May 2012 In a video interview with Maria Bartiromo, Ursula Burns discusses a number of topics including state of Xerox’s business globally, company shares, her take on the fiscal cliff and Facebook's IPO. “Words From the Top”,The Wall Street Journal, 17 May 2012 Ursula Burns was featured with several other women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies discussing how they got to where they are and the myths about advancement they saw along the way. "Meet Fortune 500's female powerbrokers", CNN, 8 May 2012 "Career advice from Fortune 500's women CEOs", Fortune, 7 May 2012 “Burns says Xerox will compete for health exchange contracts”, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, 17 April 2012 Ursula says Xerox is looking to win contracts to build and manage technology for online insurance marketplaces being set up under the U.S. health care overhaul. “Sea of change at Xerox”, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, 8 April 2012 Xerox CEO Ursula Burns details the services led, technology driven strategy of today’s Xerox in an extensive cover-story interview including on-line video. “The 9 Most Influential Women In Tech, Ranked By PeekYou”, The Huffington Post, 5 April 2012 “Xerox CEO Burns on the rising value of reputation”, Fortune.com (blog) 6 March 2012 Ursula Burns discusses the importance of corporate reputation "Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, Focused on the Core", eWeek 13 February 2012 In an eWEEK cover story Ursula Burns discusses Xerox’s transition to a services provider "Fresh Copy: How Ursula Burns Reinvented Xerox", Fast Company December 2011 / January 2012 Issue Fast Company magazine features Ursula Burns and how her life experience, style, and passion for Xerox shaped the transformation of the company. |
Featured Engagements
Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit Oct. 2, 2012 – Xerox Chairman & CEO Ursula Burns talks about how important it is to speak the truth. Xerox CEO On-stage at ITS America’s 22nd Annual Meeting Ursula Burns spoke on May 21 at the Opening Plenary with Dr. Peter Sweatman, Director of University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute, and gave her views on the expansive intelligent transportation industry in America. Ursula said, "Intelligence is about safety and sustainability. It is most significantly about the transportation systems and the users of that system and creating efficient ways for people to go about their lives." Commencement address at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Class Day Ursula addressed more than 800 students and families at Columbia Engineering’s Class Day on May 14. Commencement address at Xavier’s 85th annual graduation ceremony Ursula addressed 550 undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional students and their families, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Business degree on May 12. Xerox Press Conference at drupa 2012 Leadership highlights from Ursula Burns at the Xerox press conference at drupa 2012 - the world's largest print tradeshow. Moderated interview session with Katie Ledger, former BBC reporter. CES 2012 “Innovation Power Panel” Q&A with Ursula, Ford's CEO and Verizon. Economic Club of Washington Ursula discusses that leaders and policy makers in all sectors have become too satisfied with the status quo. Rather than focus on what can't be done, we all need to exhibit a lot more impatience with "what is" and passion for "what might be." London Business School’s Business Leader Series Q&A with Ursula on career, leadership and transformation Cleveland Clinic’s Annual Medical Innovation Summit “Perspectives from the Top of Industry.” CEO panel moderated by Maria Bartiromo. Churchill Club Ursula and George Colony, Chairman & CEO of Forrester Research, have a candid discussion about innovation, the economy, leadership, recent "aha moments," how they're viewing the market, and more. The Wall Street Journal Viewpoints Breakfast Series Ursula talks with Alan Murray, deputy managing editor for The Wall Street Journal, about the company's transition from a copier company to a document-services company, working with the Obama administration's Export Council and success MIT Sloan School of Management Dean’s Innovative Leader Series Ursula speaks on her career and leadership at the Dean’s Innovative Leader Series which brings to MIT global leaders from the business world to share their experiences with MIT Sloan students and the broader MIT community.
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