Against all odds, Bozoma Saint John is quite the force. The Ghanaian- American brand guru is the woman responsible for turning around some of the world's most prolific brands including Uber, Pepsi, Apple Music, and Netflix.
"Boz" a highly-respected businesswoman and marketing executive who is one of the most well-known black faces in the American marketing space and regularly shares her knowledge on panels; often very vocal about her experience in corporate America.
Bozoma has reached star status and is now set to star in her own TV show. She features in her own fashion spread among the pages of luxury retail site Net-A-Porter's magazine, The Porter Edit. Styled by Jason Rembert, Bozoma looks like an ethereal black goddess in a series of floaty chiffon dresses and a badass boss in a structured jumpsuit.
At the beginning of her career, Saint John got her start in marketing at Spike Lee’s advertising agency, Spike DDB. She then went on to serve as Chief Brand Officer at Uber, Head of Global Consumer Marketing at Apple Music & iTunes, and Head of Music and Entertainment Marketing at PepsiCo.
Saint John’s career has been marked by induction into Billboard’s Women in Music Hall of Fame (2018) and the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement (2014), as well as recognition on The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 list (2018) and on Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs list (2018).
Saint John has also been featured on the cover of Adweek as “one of the most exciting personalities in advertising” and on lists ranging from Fast Company’s and Ad Age’s Most Creative People to Ebony’s 100 Powerful Executives, Black Enterprise’s Most Powerful Women in Business and Fortune’s Most Influential CMOs. During the 2020 Spring semester, Professor Frances Frei of Harvard Business School used Saint John’s successful marketing career as a case study in her MBA class, “Leading Difference.” Boz appeared as a guest lecturer for the Harvard MBA students, delving deep into the tactical and pivotal marketing moves she made throughout her career, which she now credits as intrinsic to her success. Most recently, Saint John launched a podcast alongside award-winning journalist Katie Couric, “Back to Biz with Katie and Boz,” which explores the ways thought leaders, CEOs and innovators are responding to the societal shifts that have been ushered in by the coronavirus pandemic.
Boz’s philanthropic efforts include representing Pencils of Promise as a Global Ambassador to Ghana and serving on the boards of Girls Who Code and Vital Voices.
In 2019, the Year of Return campaign became a huge public relations success. International media houses provided favorable coverage on Ghana and high-profile international celebrities also visited the country. It was a 400-year full-circle moment for most of them who were descendants of Africans who were sold into slavery in the Americas. The Year of Return campaign was masterminded by Bozoma Saint John and Hollywood star Boris Kodjoe. In his state of the first nation's address since the Year of Return campaign was officially launched, President Akufo-Addo took time to celebrate Boris and Bozoma for the great work they did.
SOCIAL HANDLES IG: @badassboz FB: @SaintBoz TW: @badassboz
Filmed @ Cedar Garden Restaurant Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra Address: Ministries PMB, 66 Gamel Abdul Nasser Ave, Accra
