Uber's New Exec Bozoma Saint John on Sexism, Embracing Fear, and Bringing Her 'Whole Self' to Work

The enormous crystal chandelier that hangs in the foyer of Bozoma Saint John’s Los Angeles home gives a dramatic first impression, but it’s no less dramatic than the homeowner herself. Almost six feet tall in bare feet and wearing her signature bright prints with matching fuchsia lip gloss, Saint John (Boz to her friends) is every bit as striking giving a tour of her new home as she was onstage being honored as Executive of the Year at Billboard’s 2016 Women in Music awards last winter.

When asked about the hot pink curtains in her master bedroom, Saint John, 40, a woman whose résumé name-checks her tenure at some of the world’s biggest brands, explains her reasoning. “I’ve worked hard for my life,” she says. “No one gave me anything. This house is a reflection of that. It belongs to me and to [my daughter] Lael, so I can make it as feminine and bold as I am. Because I can!”

Saint John’s new role as chief brand officer for Uber makes her a unicorn in Silicon Valley: She’s one of the very few black female C-suite executives in tech. But to earn her place in the pantheon, Saint John has overcome challenges that would have stymied most mortals.

Thanks Amy Dubois Barnett