They’re bringing diversity to the C-suite!
Kickstarter just announced the hire of Sindy Wilson as its new Chief Financial Officer. A veteran financial expert with more than two decades of experience, Wilson specializes in “performance improvement and building finance, transformation and analytics organizations that unlock scalable growth,” Kickstarter reports. She previously held roles at Oldcastle Infrastructure, EY, Cox Automotive, and IHG Hotels & Resorts, most recently serving as VP, Finance Transformation & Analytics at Lyft. Her new appointment also marks a milestone moment for Kickstarter as Wilson and CEO Everette Taylor become one of the few Black CEO/CFO duos at a major company.
For Taylor, he admits that hiring Wilson was a plus for him, drawn to her “sense of empathy and high EQ,” he says her experience with the numbers was an added bonus. He also recognizes that Wilson is in a unique position, one that could signal the importance of diversity for other corporations.
“You’re not going to see too many Black women CFOs at the helm of household names, or larger tech companies or brands,” Taylor told Forbes.
Wilson agrees, saying she has never worked for a woman CFO in her two decades in finance, much less a Black woman. Working under another Black CEO sealed the deal for her.
“It shows it is possible to have a thriving company that is growing with a diverse leadership team…Sometimes you have to see it being the case to know that it is possible,” she explained.
In her new role she will report directly to Taylor, overseeing Kickstarter’s finances and providing strategic guidance to support their overall goals. Wilson says she’s excited to join the team and help create generational wealth by supporting the ideas of others.
“At Kickstarter, I see a passionate team that’s dedicated to fostering creativity and empowering creators. I’m eager to have a deeper purpose in my work, and Kickstarter’s mission really resonates with me. I firmly believe that generational wealth lies in the creation of ideas. I’m excited to bring my financial expertise to Kickstarter and support its business goals, its mission to make a meaningful impact on the world, and consequently, its community of creators,” said Wilson.
Of the 500 largest companies ranked based on revenue, there are just nine Black CEOs. And as of 2021, only one of those companies has a Black CFO, W. Dave Dowrich promoted to CFO at TIAA after Thasunda Brown Duckett was named CEO. Another report shows that of the combined 675 current CFOs at S&P 500 stock index and Fortune 500 companies, there were just 18 total who identified as Black in 2022, peaking at only 20 in 2021. That makes Taylor and Wilson unicorns in their industry, something they both seem to be proud of. Taylor hopes to use Wilson’s expertise to usher in a new era for Kickstarter, one filled with innovation and immense possibility.
“Kickstarter is at the beginning of a new chapter where we are very focused on growth and innovation within the crowdfunding industry and the creator economy at large. With her extensive experience in finance transformation, strategic leadership, and analytics, Sindy brings a unique perspective that will be instrumental in our continued growth. Her financial savviness paired with her belief in our mission make her the perfect fit for our team. We’re looking forward to working with Sindy to drive Kickstarter’s success,” said Taylor.
Congratulations Sindy and Everette!
Cover photo: Sindy Wilson & Everette Taylor make history as one of few Black CEO/CFO duos/Photo Courtesy of Eric Jord/Forbes