Bozoma Saint John facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bozoma Saint John
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Saint John in 2018
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Bozoma A. Arthur
Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Other names | "Boz" |
| Education | Wesleyan University (BA) |
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Bozoma "Boz" Saint John is an American business leader and marketing expert. She has held top positions at major companies like Netflix, Uber, and Endeavor. Before that, she was a key marketing executive at Apple Music. She also spent nearly a decade working at PepsiCo. In 2021, she was recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Female Leaders in Africa.
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Early Life
Bozoma Saint John was born in Middletown, Connecticut, in the United States. When she was just six months old, her family moved to Ghana. During her childhood, her family also lived in Nairobi, Kenya, and Washington, D.C.. They returned to the United States when she was 12, settling in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her father, who was a musician and a member of the Ghana Army, was a big inspiration to her.
In 1999, Saint John graduated from Wesleyan University. She earned a degree in English and African-American Studies. Her father also studied at Wesleyan, earning his Ph.D. there in 1977.
Career in Marketing
After college, Bozoma Saint John worked at advertising companies like Arnold Worldwide. She also worked for the fashion brand Ashley Stewart as its vice president of marketing.
Joining PepsiCo and Beats Music
Saint John joined PepsiCo in 2005. She quickly became a senior marketing manager. She later led PepsiCo's efforts to connect with music festivals. She stayed with the company for almost ten years. In 2014, she moved to Beats Music. She was recruited by Jimmy Iovine because of her experience in music marketing. Saint John moved from New York to Los Angeles to lead marketing for Beats.
Working at Apple and Uber
Soon after, Apple bought Beats. Saint John then became the head of global consumer marketing for iTunes and Apple Music. She traveled often between Los Angeles and Apple's headquarters in Cupertino. Many people noticed Saint John during her presentation of the new Apple Music at a big Apple event in 2016. Journalists said her "passion" and energy captivated everyone. Her appearance helped show how much Apple had improved its music software.
On June 6, 2017, Saint John became the chief brand officer at Uber. She worked there for about a year.
Moving to Endeavor and Netflix
In June 2018, Saint John left Uber to join Endeavor. She became their chief marketing officer. She explained that she wanted to help improve the environment at Uber. She found many people wanted to do better but struggled. She realized it was important to also take care of herself. At Endeavor, Saint John helped a company called Papa John's Pizza improve its image.
Netflix announced Saint John as its new chief marketing officer on June 30, 2020. This made her the first Black C-level executive at Netflix. She started her new role in August 2020 and left in March 2022.
Writing and Podcasting
In May 2020, Saint John launched a podcast with journalist Katie Couric. It was called "Back to Biz with Katie and Boz." The podcast first focused on how businesses were reopening during the coronavirus pandemic. Later, it also discussed important topics like systemic racism and criminal justice reform.
Saint John also wrote a book about her life called The Urgent Life. In the book, she talks about her work as a marketing executive. She also shares her personal journey of losing her husband and raising her child as a single parent. The book was published in February 2023.
Other Work
In May 2024, it was announced that Saint John would be joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She will be a full-time cast member for the show's fourteenth season.
Activism and Philanthropy
Bozoma Saint John is also known for her activism and charity work. She helped launch the #ShareTheMicNow Instagram initiative. On June 10, 2020, 52 Black women took over the Instagram accounts of 52 white women with large followers. This helped bring attention to the important work Black women are doing to create change.
Saint John also supports many causes. She is a Global Ambassador for Pencils of Promise, which helps build schools. She serves on the boards of Girls Who Code and Vital Voices. These organizations help empower women and girls. She is also part of the Black Advisory Board for Impact. This group works to address unfair treatment of Black people in the fashion industry.
In May 2022, Saint John was honored by the American Marketing Association. She was inducted into their Marketing Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Bozoma Saint John was married to Peter Saint John from 2003 until his passing in 2013. They have one child, a daughter named Lael Saint-John.
Awards and Honors
- 2015: Billboard, Top Women in Music
- 2016: Billboard, Female Executive of the Year
- 2016: Fortune, 40 Under 40
- 2017: Henry Crown Fellow in the Aspen Institute
- Ad Age, 50 Most Creative People, Innovators & Stars 40 Under 40 feature
- Adweek, Most Exciting Personalities in Advertising
- Ebony, 100 Powerful Executives
- Fast Company, 100 Most Creative People
- Fortune, Disruptors
- Top 100 Most Inspirational Women of the Year by Glitz Africa Magazine
