Apple Music's Bozoma Saint John makes Black Enterprise's 'Most Powerful Women in Business'

Business magazine Black Enterprise on Tuesday announced Bozoma Saint John, the head of global marketing for Apple Music, as one of a number of people highlighted in its "Most Powerful Women in Business" list for 2017.

Some other prominent people on the list include media magnate Oprah Winfrey, singer BeyoncÃ© Knowles Carter — also the CEO of Parkwood Entertainment — and Channing Dungey, the president of ABC Entertainment at Disney. Saint John, however, features on the cover of Black Enterprise's January/February issue.

The executive first joined Apple in 2014 and has since become one of the more public faces of Apple Music, often taking the stage at press events. Last month she secured a spot in Billboard's Power 100 list, sharing a spot with Larry Jackson — the head of original content for iTunes and Apple Music — but below fellow Apple executives Eddy Cue, Jimmy Iovine, and Robert Kondrk.

Saint John has also gained attention as one of the few high-level women at Apple, some other examples being Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives VP Lisa Jackson, retail head Angela Ahrendts, and board members Andrea Jung and Susan Wagner.

The company has sometimes been criticized for having even fewer non-white members in its senior staff. The only other well-known black woman at Apple is Denise Young-Smith, in charge of worldwide human resources and also on the Black Enterprise list. Non-white board members include Jung and James Bell.

Last week Apple shareholders voted down a proposal that would've pushed the company to hire more non-white people to high-level positions. The company opposed the measure, claiming that its policies were already creating opportunities for minorities in the tech industry.

7 Comments

ireland 17435 comments · 18 Years

About 7 years ago

Sad that we still separate people by colour. She is a black (or brown skin-coloured) woman, but surely she is a person first. If I was successful in business I wouldn't want to be considered a successful white businessman. Anyway this most successful at this or that is a load of nonsense anyway.

spice-boy 1450 comments · 8 Years

ireland said:

Sad that we still separate people by colour. She is a black (or brown skin-coloured) woman, but surely she is a person first. If I was successful in business I wouldn't want to be considered a successful white businessman. Anyway this most successful at this or that is a load of nonsense anyway.

If you were (brown skin-colored) as you put it you would know that others instantly "separate you by color" at first sight. Celebrating people of color is extremely important for our society where bigotry still abounds. We celebrate athletes and promote them as role models to the young we should also promote highly successful women of color as role models too. If you do not identify as a minority then try to imagine how inspiring a story like this is for those that are.

spice-boy said:

ireland said:

Sad that we still separate people by colour. She is a black (or brown skin-coloured) woman, but surely she is a person first. If I was successful in business I wouldn't want to be considered a successful white businessman. Anyway this most successful at this or that is a load of nonsense anyway.

If you were (brown skin-colored) as you put it you would know that others instantly "separate you by color" at first sight. Celebrating people of color is extremely important for our society where bigotry still abounds. We celebrate athletes and promote them as role models to the young we should also promote highly successful women of color as role models too. If you do not identify as a minority then try to imagine how inspiring a story like this is for those that are.

The idea is noble it's the method that isn't. I'm reminded of The Hollywood Reporter women's actors routable recently where Isabelle Huppert was asked how she feel's being a female actress and she answered that she found the question offensive and others at the table agreed. There are certain great gay directors, but I don't view them as 'gay directors'. I don't label them as such. I think it's unhelpful. Their sexuality isn't a choice for them and is isn't my business. I simply view them as directors. That Bozoma is black is a fact (well black is a label, but we'll go with it; her skin isn't technically 'black'), but to me celebrating her success by that fact is unhelpful. Just as I don't view Angela Ahrendts by her gender, I view her as an inspiring leader and entrepreneur. The other labels are fake to me and they don't get to the heart of who the person is.

Perhaps I'm ahead of my time and yearn for a day when our species is evolved enough to see past these differences.

icoco3 1474 comments · 13 Years

ireland said:

spice-boy said:

ireland said:

Sad that we still separate people by colour. She is a black (or brown skin-coloured) woman, but surely she is a person first. If I was successful in business I wouldn't want to be considered a successful white businessman. Anyway this most successful at this or that is a load of nonsense anyway.

If you were (brown skin-colored) as you put it you would know that others instantly "separate you by color" at first sight. Celebrating people of color is extremely important for our society where bigotry still abounds. We celebrate athletes and promote them as role models to the young we should also promote highly successful women of color as role models too. If you do not identify as a minority then try to imagine how inspiring a story like this is for those that are.

The idea is noble it's the method that isn't. I'm reminded of The Hollywood Reporter women's actors routable recently where Isabelle Huppert was asked how she feel's being a female actress and she answered that she found the question offensive and others at the table agreed. There are certain great gay directors, but I don't view them as 'gay directors'. I don't label them as such. I think it's unhelpful. Their sexuality isn't a choice for them and is isn't my business. I simply view them as directors. That Bozoma is black is a fact (well black is a label, but we'll go with it; her skin isn't technically 'black'), but to me celebrating her success by that fact is unhelpful. Just as I don't view Angela Ahrendts by her gender, I view her as an inspiring leader and entrepreneur. The other labels are fake to me and they don't get to the heart of who the person is.

Perhaps I'm ahead of my time and yearn for a day when our species is evolved enough to see past these differences.

Melonin - some have more and some have less. We are all the same color with variances in shade. Time to move on from external differences as you state.

LoneStar88 325 comments · 9 Years

Puhleeze, can we can the incessant yap, yap about skin color!?

Can't we as Apple fans simply be happy for Bozoma (and Apple) that she's enjoying some success?