Bain & Company announced today that Julie Coffman, a partner based in the firm’s Chicago office, has been named its first-ever Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). Coffman led the formation of and serves as the global head of Bain’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practice—partnering with its clients to set and drive their own DEI strategies and efforts—and she is a long-time leader in Bain’s Organization practice.
Coffman was also the founding chair of Bain’s Global Womxn’s Leadership Council, which is focused on developing and supporting Bain’s womxn and increasing representation in Bain’s leadership ranks. Since June, she has been leading Bain’s Americas DEI Transformation Office, which aims to embed racial and social equity into the fabric of the company—ultimately raising Bain’s game as both an employer and a business.
“As we looked at our bold DEI aspirations for the coming years, we sought a senior executive with the experience, clarity of purpose and resolve to lead our global change agenda,” said Manny Maceda, Bain’s Worldwide Managing Partner. “Julie is that person. Through her client-facing work, she brings decades of organizational change management expertise. And as the founder and architect of Bain’s Womxn’s Leadership Council, she has not only taught us about the nuances of building an equitable workplace, she has shown us firsthand how to do it.”
This news comes as Bain’s teams are celebrating Black History Month in the US and Lunar New Year around the world, and preparing to celebrate International Women’s Day in just a few weeks.
Last summer, Bain announced a set of commitments to promote racial equity and social justice. This included the creation of a global DEI Council to work with Bain’s board to ensure the firm’s DEI values remain a central theme within its broader business agenda as well as a commitment of $100 million in probono work focused on racial equity and social justice.
Bain has been innovating to bring together DEI thought leaders in recent months, including hosting its inaugural Black Leaders’ Forum, engaging 40 Black leaders—from VP to the C-suite—to discuss how to navigate with intent and amplify their impact on the next generation. In December, Bain announced its engagement as a founding partner of OneTen, a coalition of CEOs from over 100 employers committed to hiring 1 million Black Americans into family-sustaining jobs over 10 years and taking other actions to help address socio-economic inequities in our society.
Bain’s commitment to DEI runs deep, beginning long before it was the widely visible topic it is today. Nearly three decades ago, it launched the firm’s inaugural affinity groups, Blacks at Bain and BGLAD—its LGBTQ network—at the same time the firm was cementing gender diversity as a long-term strategic priority. Since then, its teams have launched Asians at Bain, Latinx at Bain, Women at Bain and Veterans at Bain. All of these groups support recruiting and retention through mentorship programs, connectivity events, professional development workshops and allyship initiatives.
Coffman is a member of the Chicago Network of Women Business leaders and also serves on Wesleyan University’s Athletic Advisory Council. She holds an MA in Educational Administration as well as an MBA from Stanford University, where she was recognized as an Arjay Miller scholar.
Sourced from Bain & Company