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Cynthia Soledad

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+1 312 260 8865

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Cynthia Soledad, based in Chicago, leads Egon Zehnder’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Practice, conducting consulting engagements in Inclusive Leadership best practices and leading DEI executive searches across industry sectors. Cynthia is also an active member of the firm’s Board, Consumer, and Chief Marketing Officer practices.

Great leaders build great businesses by unlocking the potential of their people. I feel strongly about helping them on their journey.

Prior to joining Egon Zehnder, Cynthia served as Senior Brand Director at Whirlpool Corporation with responsibility for the KitchenAid brand, which included refreshing its positioning and redesigning the main products. She also led Marketing Services and established the company’s first digital center of excellence. Earlier, Cynthia was a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble, where she held various roles in business delivery, upstream innovation, and shopper marketing. Throughout her career, Cynthia has been engaged in developing leadership and promoting employee diversity and inclusion, for example by leading the Whirlpool Women’s Network and P&G’s Asians in Marketing and CMK group.

Cynthia earned a BA in anthropology from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. Outside work, she is raising two teenage children with her husband Burke. An experienced singer herself, she also serves as Board Chair for the Chicago Chorale, a Hyde Park based 60 voice choir.

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Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership by Cynthia Soledad

DEI Isn’t Divisive—It’s Unifying

DEI Isn’t Divisive—It’s Unifying

Serious criticisms about organizational diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have been leveled periodically over the last 3.5 years in response to the increased focus… Read more

CEO Insights — Volume 41: Reaffirming the Business Case for DEI in a Post-Affirmative Action World

CEO Insights — Volume 41: Reaffirming the Business Case for DEI in a Post-Affirmative Action World

The commitment to inclusion, equity and diversity in businesses can – and should – stay on course. Read more

Unveiling the Business Risk: Why Board and Executive Engagement in DE&I Matters

Unveiling the Business Risk: Why Board and Executive Engagement in DE&I Matters

The absence of well-run DE&I efforts is a business risk that boards should strongly consider. Read more

Board Oversight of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Board Oversight of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Well-run diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives can yield many benefits, but on the other hand, poorly resourced DE&I efforts can put a business… Read more

Unveiling the Business Risk: Why Board and Executive Engagement in DE&I Matters

Unveiling the Business Risk: Why Board and Executive Engagement in DE&I Matters

Chuck Gray and Cynthia Soledad share strategies for boards and executive teams to avoid and overcome common pitfalls in DEI efforts. Read more

Breaking the Boardroom Glass Ceiling

Breaking the Boardroom Glass Ceiling

At the board level there have been steady improvements in DE&I, 1 in 3 new hires being women and 27 percent of board seats… Read more

Is ‘DEI-hushing’ next? The danger in the Republican anti-woke response to SVB’s collapse

Is ‘DEI-hushing’ next? The danger in the Republican anti-woke response to SVB’s collapse

Cynthia Soledad, who co-leads the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practice at Egon Zehnder, emphasizes the importance of support and psychological safety for DE&I officers,… Read more

2022/23 Global Board Diversity Tracker: Who's Really on Board?

2022/23 Global Board Diversity Tracker: Who's Really on Board?

For over 18 years, Egon Zehnder has been tracking boardroom diversity around the world. The 2022–2023 Global Board Diversity Tracker captures the progress that… Read more

Egon Zehnder’s Latest Global Board Diversity Tracker Shows Heightened Need for Inclusivity on Corporate Boards as They Diversify

Egon Zehnder’s Latest Global Board Diversity Tracker Shows Heightened Need for Inclusivity on Corporate Boards as They Diversify

Egon Zehnder released its 2022-2023 Global Board Diversity Tracker, revealing corporate boards have made some progress on diversity, but inclusivity needs improvement. Read more

Diversity Initiatives

Diversity Initiatives

Developing diverse talent is key to the success of Egon Zehnder, our clients and candidates. We believe that diverse leaders create a better world. Read more

Chief Diversity Officer: Individual Coach and Organization Change Agent.
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Chief Diversity Officer: Individual Coach and Organization Change Agent.

Carol Kauffman and Cynthia Soledad, co-lead of Egon Zehnder’s global DE&I Practice discuss how the landscape has changed for corporate DE&I work in the… Read more

In Conversation with Fama Francisco, CEO Feminine and Baby Care at P&G

In Conversation with Fama Francisco, CEO Feminine and Baby Care at P&G

P&G’s Fama Francisco talks about the importance of uncovering uncomfortable truths to create compelling campaigns and to make progress in diversity, equity and inclusion. Read more

Egon Zehnder Global Board Diversity Tracker Shows Slow and Insufficient Progress — Urging Measurable Action

Egon Zehnder Global Board Diversity Tracker Shows Slow and Insufficient Progress — Urging Measurable Action

For the past 16 years, Egon Zehnder has tracked gender and international diversity on boards around the world. This year, our 2020 report expands… Read more

Global Semiconductor CHRO Roundtable

Global Semiconductor CHRO Roundtable

Egon Zehnder hosted a group of Human Resources executives from leading semiconductor companies for a lively conversation and exchange of insights. Read more

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Tenth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Tenth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

The 10th anniversary Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit was unlike any other — a virtual setting that brought more attendees than ever before. Read more

A Rising Tide: Creating Inclusive Systems of Leadership Selection

A Rising Tide: Creating Inclusive Systems of Leadership Selection

Since the country erupted in racial protests in early June, many CEOs have taken a visible public stand against systemic racism, pledging to do… Read more

CEO Insights — Volume 13: A Rising Tide: Creating Inclusive Systems of Leadership Selection

CEO Insights — Volume 13: A Rising Tide: Creating Inclusive Systems of Leadership Selection

Since the U.S. erupted in racial protests, many CEOs have taken a public stand against systemic racism, pledging to help dismantle it. Read more

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Eighth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Eighth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

On October 3-4, Egon Zehnder, in collaboration with Kellogg School of Management and McKinsey & Company, convened senior marketing leaders for a dialogue on:… Read more

D&I: The Missing Link to Sustainability

D&I: The Missing Link to Sustainability

Why diversity and inclusion hold the key to true sustainability. Read more

Why the Riskiest Hires Might Be the Ones You Don’t Make

Why the Riskiest Hires Might Be the Ones You Don’t Make

Diverse teams are more successful—but building them takes guts. Read more

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

Egon Zehnder is a founding partner of Northwestern University’s Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit. Read more

The Philadelphia Inquirer – Philly-based Diversified Search Increases Revenues by the Millions, and Plans to Keep Expanding

The Philadelphia Inquirer – Philly-based Diversified Search Increases Revenues by the Millions, and Plans to Keep Expanding

As the country’s unemployment rate approaches record lows at about 3.8% and Americans place an ever greater value on their job security, corporations are… Read more

Yahoo! Finance — A New Generation of Women Transforms Leadership

Yahoo! Finance — A New Generation of Women Transforms Leadership

On Yahoo! Finance, Cynthia Soledad discusses Egon Zehnder’s Leaders & Daughters series and what future generations look for in a leader. Read more

Egon Zehnder's Cynthia Soledad at SXSW

Egon Zehnder's Cynthia Soledad at SXSW

Over tens of thousands of assessments, Egon Zehnder has codified a proprietary model around Executive Potential. We believe there are four traits that translate… Read more

Egon Zehnder Finds Generation, Not Gender, Determines Attitudes at Work

Egon Zehnder Finds Generation, Not Gender, Determines Attitudes at Work

Egon Zehnder's study of more than 2,500 executives across seven countries uncovered a significant gap in attitudes and priorities between generations, particularly regarding diversity,… Read more

2018 Global Board Diversity Tracker: Who's Really On Board?

2018 Global Board Diversity Tracker: Who's Really On Board?

Egon Zehnder tracked gender and international diversity on boards around the world for the past 14 years. Where do 44 countries stack up? Read more

Egon Zehnder Global Board Diversity Tracker Suggests Gender Parity in the Boardroom May Never Be Achieved

Egon Zehnder Global Board Diversity Tracker Suggests Gender Parity in the Boardroom May Never Be Achieved

Egon Zehnder, the world's leadership advisory firm, today released the results of its 2018 Global Board Diversity Tracker. The study shows the accelerating growth… Read more

Bloomberg – Women Get Board Seats Mostly When It's Required by Law

Bloomberg – Women Get Board Seats Mostly When It's Required by Law

A new study by Egon Zehnder reports, among countries that average three or more women on large company boards, all but one operate under… Read more

Egon Zehnder at the 2018 Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

Egon Zehnder at the 2018 Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

As CMOs continue to face obstacles in the dynamic business world, it’s important to remember the primary takeaways, gleaned while surrounded by peers who… Read more

Interview with Kellogg's Greg Carpenter

Interview with Kellogg's Greg Carpenter

Egon Zehnder's Cynthia Soledad spoke with Greg Carpenter from the Kellogg School of Management at the 2018 Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit. Read more

Interview with General Manager, U.S. Chromebooks

Interview with General Manager, U.S. Chromebooks

Egon Zehnder's Cynthia Soledad spoke with the General Manager of U.S. Chromebooks Zena Arnold at the 2018 Kellogg Marketing Summit. Read more

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Sixth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

The Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit — Sixth Annual Kellogg Marketing Leadership Summit

For its sixth annual summit welcomed more than 100 senior marketing leaders on September 14-15, 2016. The program featured a mix of interactive sessions,… Read more

Chicago Tribune – More Women Are Landing Board Seats, But the Pace of Change is Slow

Chicago Tribune – More Women Are Landing Board Seats, But the Pace of Change is Slow

The Chicago Tribune reported that among Illinois’ 25 most valuable companies, women have claimed 44% of new directorships since the start of last year… Read more

What CXOs Think of Marketing:

What CXOs Think of Marketing:

At more and more organizations, marketing has become firmly established as a C-suite function. Read more

Take These 3 Steps to Ensure the Leadership Pipeline is Balanced

Take These 3 Steps to Ensure the Leadership Pipeline is Balanced

In my work in executive search, it is blessedly rare these days for discussions about leadership or board succession NOT to include the topic… Read more

What We Heard – Never Waste a Crisis

What We Heard – Never Waste a Crisis

The combination of overlapping social media networks with passionate and vigilant consumers means that chief marketing officers and chief communications officers are never more… Read more

Filling the Leadership Pipeline with Women

Filling the Leadership Pipeline with Women

For nearly 40 years, women have outnumbered men in U.S. colleges, but as women move through the workforce, the scales tip in the other… Read more

AdAge - CMOs Unlock Growth by Building Agile Organisations

AdAge - CMOs Unlock Growth by Building Agile Organisations

In an increasingly disruptive world the key challenge facing CMOs is to create an agile organization that will help individuals to leverage their full… Read more

Unlocking Leadership Potential to Meet the Challenges And Opportunities of Today’s Disruptive Landscape

Unlocking Leadership Potential to Meet the Challenges And Opportunities of Today’s Disruptive Landscape

CHROs today face an ever more difficult challenge – identifying and developing the talent to drive the transformation required in today’s organizations, individuals who… Read more

How to Lead an Agile Organization

How to Lead an Agile Organization

For some time now, leaders from across industries and geographies have been operating in an uncertain and volatile environment. And while we watch the… Read more

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