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News Briefs

Chief, the Private Network for Women Leaders, Announces National Expansion

Chief, a private network designed for the most powerful women leaders, recently announced that it will expand nationally. Chief will welcome qualified applicants throughout the U.S. to join its influential executive network. Since launching in New York in 2019, Chief’s membership grew to over 10,000 senior women leaders in seven cities. There’s a waitlist of 40,000 executives from across the country.

An expansive network for women leaders

More than 60 percent of Fortune 100 companies have Chief members in their ranks, with members collectively managing $220 billion of the U.S. economy. C-Suite, senior executives and accomplished VPs are evaluated for membership based on seniority, professional experience, background and impact, as well as a demonstrated history of supporting others along the way.

The network’s over 10,000 members come from over 6,500 companies, non-profits and organizations. This includes leaders from Google, Nike, HBO, Pfizer, Disney, Verizon, UNICEF, Goldman Sachs, Unilever, Mercedes-Benz, Zoom, LVMH, Doctors Without Borders, Peloton, Harvard University, Cartier, Accenture, Netflix, The New York Times, Square, Chanel, Allstate, Doordash, Humana, American Express, DVF, NBCUniversal, Lockheed Martin, Walmart, IDEO and NASA.

“Women at the helm of companies are navigating extraordinary challenges without a playbook. Now more than ever they need the support, camaraderie and insights from their peers. We’re building a bigger table so more women can pull up a chair,” said Carolyn Childers, Co-Founder and CEO of Chief. “By welcoming Chief members on a national level, we will grow the collective power of women leaders. We can create meaningful change from the top down.”

Chief members gain access to:

  • A powerful network of peers, vetted support systems and business-critical insights to help them strengthen their leadership and magnify their influence.
  • Core, a hyper-curated peer group that understands the unique challenges of the executive journey and helps navigate and accelerate one another’s leadership experience. The group meets on a regular cadence and receives guidance from a seasoned executive coach.
  • Workshops designed specifically to address the timely challenges business leaders are facing. These are taught by world-class business school professors and focus on topics such as economic forecasting, operationalizing DEI, creating psychological safety and the future of digital disruption.
  • Legendary conversations with the most influential business leaders and cultural icons. This includes Stacey Abrams, Amal Clooney, Indra Nooyi, Adam Grant, Barbara Corcoran, Kara Swisher, Issa Rae, Mellody Hobson, Diane von Furstenberg, Gloria Estefan and Sara Blakely.
  • Community groups, 1-1 connections and virtual and in-person community meetups across topics, industries, identities and activities, to connect leaders over powerful ideas.

Read our recommendations for the best networking and virtual event platforms.

More about the membership

Annual Chief membership starts at $5,800 for VP-level and $7,900 for C-Level. The majority of Chief members receive sponsorships from their employers. Members can opt into Chief+ membership to gain an all-access pass to Chief’s Flagship clubhouses. These are located in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco (coming in summer 2022). In these Flagships, members can host clients, reserve meeting rooms, enjoy drinks and connect with other Chief members.

“Our mission is to change the face of leadership,” said Lindsay Kaplan, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Chief. “We know many businesses feel committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Still, it’s difficult to see meaningful progress when women and underrepresented people are constantly facing new setbacks. We believe these challenges cannot be solved by individual companies alone. Women executives need to come together to lead the way.”

Chief has raised $40 million in funding from investors including Ken Chenault of General Catalyst and Alexa von Tobel of Inspired Capital, who both serve on the company’s board. Additional investors include Primary Venture Partners, Flybridge Capital Partners, GGV Capital, Able Partners, and Box Group.

For more information or to apply for membership, visit chief.com.

About Chief

Chief is a private network designed for the most powerful women leaders and executives. The program helps women strengthen their leadership, magnify their influence and pave the way to bring others with them. Co-founders Carolyn Childers and Lindsay Kaplan launched Chief in 2019 to drive more women to the top, and keep them there. Chief is one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2021. Its diverse membership includes more than 10,000 of the most senior business executives in the United States. To learn more or apply to join, visit chief.com.

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