Barron Witherspoon, Sr. Is The Black Exec
How is Barron Witherspoon the embodiment of The Black Executive?
Let us count the ways. This former Procter & Gamble (P&G) senior
executive is a respected thought leader, an in demand speaker, a top-
selling author, and dedicated mentor passionate about sharing his
knowledge to empower young executives to climb the corporate ladder
even as they navigate multiple, myth-based challenges.
Witherspoon provides a candid look at these obstacles in his top-selling
book The Black Exec and the Seven Myths exploring how to overcome the
myths many Black professionals face, which in too many instances,
undermine their ability to progress and succeed in their careers. Drawing
from a successful 35-year career at P&G, Witherspoon offers tangible
strategies that aspiring young leaders can leverage to combat these false
narratives and embrace the truth that they belong, are needed, and have the power to unapologetically reshape their future.
Upon its publication, The Black Exec immediately struck a chord; it landed
on Amazon’s best seller list within weeks and has remained a best seller
for more than a year. In addition, it is ranked within Amazon’s Top Ten
“Interest Economics” and “Financial Interests” categories. And it was notably selected as a finalist in the prestigious National Indie Excellence®
Awards.
Like his book, Witherspoon’s speaking career has also climbed to
exceptional heights. In 2024, he had a busy schedule of speaking
engagements at major corporations (Strada, Heidrick & Struggles, UBS
Bank and L3Harris), universities (University of Mount Saint Vincent,
Rutgers University, and New Jersey Institute of Technology), and
community events, such as The Harlem Book Fair. He also participated in a
highly prestigious TedX event in New York with a very well-received talk
based upon his book’s major themes.
Barron’s influence and national standing have been further amplified in his
opinion pieces that have appeared in FORTUNE, The Hill and TheGrio, all
of which have been met with positive responses. He recently launched “In
the Know”, a newsletter that provides an opportunity to showcase other influential voices, such as Jeffery Perry and Bryetta Calloway, as well as
provide civil discourse in an era of increasing polarization and
misinformation.
His extensive career at P&G is the foundation of his professional learnings.
Witherspoon led P&G’s Asia “business in a trading environment of over
seven million outlets – the highest store concentration in the world. His
region spanned 13 time zones & served one-third of the world’s
consumers” (Source: Tuskegee University). He held numerous officer-level
roles, eventually retiring as a senior vice president, Global Industry Affairs
& The Corporate Race Initiative.
His path-breaking achievements at P&G did not go unnoticed. Witherspoon
was named among the “Top 50 Multi-Cultural Leaders” and the “Top 100
Most Influential African Americans in Business” by the National Diversity Council in 2021. Witherspoon was named by Savoy Magazine to their
“Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America” list in 2020. In
2019, AACSB International named him a “Most Influential Leader Among
Business School Graduates.”
A proud cum laude graduate of Tuskegee University, Witherspoon, who
delivered the school’s commencement address at its 133rd graduation
ceremony, currently serves as the Second Vice Chair on Tuskegee’s Board
of Trustees. He has also held board positions for civic and industry organizations including Chairman, ECR Asia Board; Chairman, Board of
Elders at Singapore Baptist Church; Chairman, INROADS National Board;
Vice Chair, Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business & Information Science Advisory Board, Tuskegee University; and Member, Jobs Plus Board.
Witherspoon is an ordained minister and the author of The Fallacy of
Affinity, which highlights the importance of multi-cultural worship and is in
its second printing. He is an accomplished equestrian, an involved member
of his community, a loving husband, and a father of two adult children. Follow him on LinkedIn