Donna Hamlin

PRACTICE LEAD
BOARD GOVERNANCE

Dr. Donna Hamlin is a board director, CEO, and Operating Advisor with deep global experience in fintech, technology, software industries, and professional services. Her focus is on companies leading innovation. Her expertise includes strategy, business transformation, management, and M&A. Her global governance experience includes work in Europe, Asia, and North America. She has a special interest in preparing for IPO transitions. She is certified for global board governance by Harvard University and NACD for public and private board directorship. Recognized for her ability to maximize board effectiveness, her unifying style contributes to high-quality ideation and meaningful debate. She leads research and education on governance best practices as founder of Boardwise, Inc.

Donna is an executive with strategic vision, a record for implementing creative solutions to complex, culturally diverse global challenges, building competent teams, and improving value in companies in more than 48 countries. She has deep experience in business transformation, marketing, strategic planning and operational execution, restructuring, brand breakthroughs, and innovative talent development spanning global 1000 companies to founding successful early-stage companies. She is a recognized developer of the award-winning CASCADE© market research method and inventor of BOARD BONA FIDE™ global governance analytical tools. Donna is a popular global speaker about governance and leadership and is an active board director.

Donna is the independent director for DailyPay, Inc., where she chairs the Human Capital Management Committee and serves on the Nominating and Governance Committee. She works with both public and private boards to establish best practices in governance. During her career, she has served on fourteen boards, including Paramit (U.S.), Aussieweb Pty, Ltd. (Australia), Boardwise, Inc. (U.S.), Fresh Bellies, Inc., and Lead Women, SN (Malaysia).

Her passion is to leverage high-potential innovation, bringing it to scale to deliver smart, sustainable value to markets, customers, shareholders, and stakeholders.

Her executive experience includes roles as Founder/CEO of Boardwise, Inc., Founder of Hamlin Harkins, Ltd., CAO/Section 16 Officer at Trident Microsystems, Chief HR Officer/Section 16 Officer at Asyst Technologies, SVP of HR Strategy at Citigroup, EVP of Organization Performance at Texaco, and SVP of Strategy at General Electric. She has also served as an adjunct professor for management, governance, and entrepreneurship at Harvard, IESE, University of San Francisco, Cal State East Bay, and the University of Dallas. She has published numerous management and social science articles and peer-reviewed cases on current management and governance topics.

She earned a PhD and an MS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a BA from Siena College.

Expertise:

Global board governance, strategy, business transformation, management, M&A, IPO transitions

Sectors:

Fintech, technology, software, professional services

Roles:

Board Director, Founder, CEO, Operating Advisor, CAO, Section 16 Officer, Chief HR Officer, Section 16 Officer, Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President, Adjunct Professor

Traits:

Unifying, strategic, creative

Location:

San Francisco

Professional Activities

Adjunct professor -management, governance and entrepreneurship for:

Harvard, IESE, University of San Francisco, Cal State East Bay, and University of Dallas

Author and Speaker

International speaker on governance, diversity and innovation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nFJgTcaFFI

https://youtu.be/Rioflk-aWBk?t=7

https://youtu.be/IAWfiNwBnF8?t=1