More Black women are climbing the ranks of leadership in the business world.

This past Wednesday, Debra L. Lee — former chairman and CEO of cable network channel BET — joined the board of directors at the Procter & Gamble (P&G) — a multinational consumer goods company, Black Enterprise reports.

“We are delighted to welcome Debra to the board,” said P&G Chairman, President and CEO David Taylor in a news release. “She has distinguished herself as a leader in the media industry for more than 30 years and brings broad, deep knowledge ranging from media strategy and programming to corporate risk oversight.”

He added: “Her experience, expertise and guidance will further strengthen our efforts to better serve consumers and a broad range of stakeholders. We look forward to her contributions.”

Lee is a seasoned executive in the media business having served in numerous C-suite roles at BET Networks — a media and entertainment subsidiary of ViacomCBS –throughout her 30-year tenure.

She originally joined BET in 1986 as the executive vice president and general counsel and was later appointed as the media company’s president and chief operating officer, Black Enterprise reports.

She was then promoted to president and chief executive officer in 2005 and she maintained her CEO/chairman status until she stepped down in 2018.

In addition to her lengthy resume, Lee has been a devoted advocate for equality and inclusion throughout her career. According to a press release, in 2009, she became founder and CEO of Leading Women Defined, Inc. — an association of strategic thought leaders that strives to engage in constructive dialogue that will positively impact the Black community.

Lee also has extensive corporate governance experience from serving on various public company boards, and as a current member of the board of directors of Marriott International, Inc., Burberry Group PLC, and AT&T, Inc.

Debra Lee

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