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 senior executive is a respected thought leader, in-demand speaker, top-selling author, and a dedicated mentor passionate about sharing his knowledge to empower Black 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 the myths many Black professionals face, which, in too many instances, undermine their ability to succeed and progress in their careers, can be overcome. Drawing from a successful 35-year career at P&G, Mr. Witherspoon offers tangible strategies that emerging young leaders can leverage to combat these false narratives and embrace the truth that they belong, are needed, and have the power to reshape the future unapologetically. His book has struck a chord; it immediately landed on Amazon’s top ten list of Financial Reads.

Witherspoon appeared at a TedX event in New York City, delivering a well-received talk based on his book’s themes. In 2024, he has a busy schedule of speaking engagements set at major corporations including UBS Bank and L3Harris, universities including the University of Mount Saint Vincent, Rutgers University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and other community events to further support the book and spark a national conversation on how people of color can successfully navigate implicit bias-inspired workplace issues.

Witherspoon's extensive career at P&G is the foundation of his professional learnings on which his book is based. He held numerous officer-level roles, eventually retiring as a Senior Vice President, Global Industry Affairs & The Corporate Race Initiative. Among his multiple accomplishments during his tenure at the Fortune 25 organization, 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 and served one-third of the world’s consumers.” (Source: Tuskegee University.)

Witherspoon's pathbreaking achievements at P&G did not go unnoticed. He 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.

Barron 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.