Widely recognised as an inclusion and diversity leader and advocate for social change, BackLine says Whye will draw on her experience of more than 25 years in the technology industry to help BlackLine as it strives to continuously evaluate, improve and expand its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts, including, in particular, its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are deeply rooted in our core values in service of our global workforce, our customers and the communities in which we work and live,” said BlackLine CEO and board member Marc Huffman.
“We look forward to Barbara’s guidance as we advance a culture of inclusion that empowers employees to think, create and serve in a workplace where everyone truly feels they belong.”
As vice president of inclusion and diversity at Apple, Whye is leading the company’s commitment to build a more equitable and inclusive world.
Previously, she was chief diversity and inclusion officer at Intel where she led a $300 million ‘Diversity in Technology’ initiative that resulted in the chipmaker reaching full representation of women and underrepresented minorities in its U.S. workforce two years ahead of schedule.
She was also responsible for Intel’s investments in programs that deliver positive global impact, including corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education portfolios with an emphasis on girls and underserved populations.
Whye began her career as an electrical engineer and has since held numerous positions, including leadership and project engineering roles with BellSouth and NCR.
“I am honored by the opportunity to join the BlackLine board and excited to contribute to the continued growth of this extraordinary company that has emerged as the leader in modern accounting,” said Whye.
“I find BlackLine truly committed to driving excellence and its leadership’s unwavering focus on innovation, collaboration, inclusion and customer success is unmatched.”
Whye has been the recipient of multiple industry awards, including Fortune's 2020 list of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’, a 2019 Black Enterprise ‘Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity’ award and a 2019 ‘Most Influential Women in Corporate America’ award.
“Barbara is a powerful force for positive social change,” said Therese Tucker, BlackLine’s founder and executive board chair. “She shares my passion and commitment to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in technology and leadership.”
