Board of directors

 

Marc Benioff

Chairman & CEO

 

Marc Benioff is chairman and CEO of Salesforce. A pioneer of cloud computing, Benioff founded the company in 1999 with a vision to create a new kind of enterprise software company, with a new technology model based in the cloud, a new pay-as-you-go business model and a new integrated corporate philanthropy model. Under his leadership, Salesforce has grown from a groundbreaking idea into a Fortune 500 company, the fastest-growing top ten software company in the world and the largest CRM company.

For its revolutionary approach, Salesforce has been named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies seven years in a row by Forbes Magazine, one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies in the software industry five years in a row, and a Fortune Best Company to Work For nine years in a row.

Benioff has been widely recognized for his visionary leadership and pioneering innovations. He has been named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune, 50 Most Influential People by Bloomberg, one of the top 20 Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review, Businessperson of the Year by Fortune readers, one of the Best CEOs in the World by Barron’s, Innovator of the Decade by Forbes Magazine and received The Economist’s Innovation Award. Benioff is also a member of the World Economic Forum Board of Trustees.

Benioff created the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy, which leverages the resources of Salesforce to improve communities around the world: donating 1% of Salesforce’s product, 1% of its equity and 1% of employees' time to help nonprofits achieve their missions. Today, more than 3,000 companies have adopted the 1-1-1 model through the Pledge 1% movement. Benioff and his wife, Lynne, have focused their personal philanthropy on children’s health, including building UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, as well as on public education, homelessness and other social issues.

Benioff believes that businesses are the greatest platforms for change in the world. He has embraced World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab’s multi-stakeholder approach to leadership, serving not only shareholders but all stakeholders--including customers, employees, partners, communities and the environment--to make the world a better place. Benioff is also inspiring fellow business leaders to do the same. He led a group of CEOs and business leaders in opposing state legislation that discriminated against LGBTQ communities, and instituted a company-wide salary assessment at Salesforce to ensure men and women were being paid equally for comparable work.

Benioff is a 35-year veteran of the software industry. Prior to launching Salesforce, he spent 13 years at Oracle Corporation. He founded his first company, Liberty Software, which created video games, at the age of 15. He also worked as an assembly language programmer in Apple Computer’s Macintosh Division. Benioff received a B.S. in Business Administration in 1986 and an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 2014 from the University of Southern California.

He is the author of three books, including the national best seller, Behind the Cloud.

 

Keith Block

Vice Chairman, President and COO

 

Keith Block is the Vice Chairman, President and COO of Salesforce and serves on its board of directors. He leads the company’s day-to-day operations, including its rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar global sales and services business, alliances and channels, industry strategy, corporate development, corporate affairs, marketing and business operations.

Block has managed world-class sales, consulting and engineering teams for nearly 30 years, with a focus on customer transformation. Prior to joining Salesforce in 2013, Block served as Oracle’s executive vice president of North America Sales and Consulting, leading a multi-billion dollar sales and services business unit that achieved record revenue and margin during his tenure. He began his career at Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior consultant.

Block currently serves on the World Economic Forum’s Information Technology Community as a Governor, the Board of Trustees for Carnegie-Mellon University, the Advisory Board at Carnegie-Mellon University Heinz Graduate School and the Board of Trustees at the Concord Museum. He is also actively involved with the Boston Partners in Education, a nonprofit focused on enhancing the academic achievement and personal growth of Boston’s public school students.

Block holds a Master’s of Science degree in Management and Policy Analysis and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Information Systems from Carnegie-Mellon University.

 

Craig Conway

Former CEO, PeopleSoft

 

Craig Conway has enjoyed one of the most distinguished and successful careers in the technology industry. He has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Managers by BusinessWeek, one of the Ten Most Influential People In High Technology by , and one of the Fifty Most Powerful People in Networking by NetworkWorld.

As president and chief executive officer, Conway has led several technology companies to success including most recently, PeopleSoft. Conway joined PeopleSoft in 1999 and began one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the technology industry. His vision to develop the industry's first pure Internet architecture, determination to expand into new products and markets, and intense focus on execution drove PeopleSoft to become the world's second-largest provider of business software. In 2002 Fortune magazine named PeopleSoft the Second Most Admired Company, and Forbes magazine named PeopleSoft one of Five Overachieving Companies.

On June 2, 2003, Conway announced the acquisition of JD Edwards, making PeopleSoft a $2.9 billion company with 12,000 customers in 150 countries and starting a wave of industry consolidation. Four days later PeopleSoft itself became a takeover target by Oracle, and so began the longest hostile takeover attempt in history. Eighteen months later PeopleSoft was sold for $10.3 billion, almost $4 billion more than Oracle's initial offer and $7 billion more than the value of the company when Conway took over as CEO.

Conway has also served as president and CEO of TGV Software and One Touch Systems. He has also held executive management positions at a variety of leading technology companies including executive vice president at Oracle.

 

Alan Hassenfeld

Director, Hasbro, Inc.

 
Alan Hassenfeld is a director of Hasbro, a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment with $2.9 billion in revenues and an impressive blue-chip portfolio of familiar and popular brand names such as PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, and PARKER BROTHERS. Hassenfeld began his career at Hasbro in 1970. He was appointed vice president of marketing and sales in 1978, became the president of the company in 1984, and received the titles of chairman and CEO in 1989. In May 2003, he passed on the responsibilities of CEO in order to fully concentrate on his position as chairman and served as chairman until February 2008. Hassenfeld sits on the board of the Salesforce Foundation as well as Hasbro's two philanthropic divisions, the Hasbro Charitable Trust and the Hasbro Children's Foundation. He is the former chairman of the Right Now! Coalition and Admiral of Rhode Island Commodores (a governor-appointed business advisory group). Hassenfeld is the recipient of the Honorary Doctor of Humanities Award from Bryant College and the Honorary Doctor of Business degree from Roger Williams University and Johnson and Wales University.
 

Neelie Kroes

Former Vice President of the European Commission

 
Neelie Kroes is the former Vice President of the European Commission, European Commissioner for Competition, and European Commission for Digital Agenda. Kroes served as Commissioner for Competition from 2004 to 2010 and as Vice President and Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society from 2010 to 2014. Prior to joining the European Commission, Kroes served in the Dutch House of Representatives and as State Secretary and Cabinet Minister. She is currently Special Envoy of StartupDelta, a public/private partnership to establish a thriving ecosystem of startup companies in the Netherlands. Kroes previously served on the boards of Lucent Netherlands, AB Volvo, and McDonald’s Netherlands and was chairperson of Nyenrode University. She received her Masters of Science in Economics from Erasmus University.
 

Colin Powell

General, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

 
General Colin Powell is a retired four star general and served for 35 years in the United States Army. He has served as U.S. National Security Advisor, Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he was the 65th Secretary of State of the United States. He is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards as well as two Presidential Medals of Freedom. General Powell is a strategic limited partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations. General Powell is the Chair of the Board of Visitors of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at his alma mater, the City College of New York. The Powell School was inaugurated May of 2013 and stands alongside CCNY’s other premiere named schools. He is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the America’s Promise Alliance, dedicated to forging a strong and effective partnership alliance committed to seeing that children have the fundamental resources they need to succeed.
 

Sanford Robertson

Principal, Francisco Partners

 
Sanford Robertson pioneered the creation of West Coast technology banking as an industry in the late 1960s and has remained one of the industry's most renowned participants. He served as vice president and director at Smith Barney before founding a firm that later became Montgomery Securities. In 1978, he founded Robertson, Stephens & Co, one of the most significant underwriters of IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions. After selling the company in 1998, he founded Francisco Partners, the world's largest technology-focused private equity fund. Robertson has had significant financing involvement in over 500 growth technology companies, including 3Com (NASDAQ: COMS), America Online (NYSE: AOL), Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT), Ascend, Dell Computer (NASDAQ: DELL), E*Trade (NYSE: ET), Siebel, and Sun (NASDAQ: SUNW). He serves on the boards of Dolby Laboratories, Pain Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTIE), and the Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving, as well as on the President's Board at the University of Michigan.
 

John V. Roos

Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan

 

John Roos is a former United States Ambassador to Japan and a former technology lawyer. Before accepting the ambassadorship from President Barack Obama, Roos was the CEO of Silicon Valley-based law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

Roos served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2009 to 2013, a historic period in U.S.-Japan relations where he played a key role in managing the relationship through major transitions of government. Roos led the American mission to support Japan's response to the devastating 9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis on March 11, 2011. In October 2011, citing his tireless and effective leadership after March 11, the Department of State awarded Roos the prestigious Sue E. Cobb 2011 Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service.

Prior to his ambassadorship, Roos served as Chief Executive Officer and Senior Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the leading law firm in the U.S. in the representation of technology, life sciences, and emerging growth companies. There he helped lead his firm during the waves of innovation in Silicon Valley, from the growth of software and communications, to the Internet Age, to the emergence of biotechnology, clean technology and renewable energy, to the social media revolution.

Roos grew up in San Francisco and attended Stanford University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors and Distinction, and Stanford Law School, earning his Juris Doctor in 1980, achieving Order of the Coif. Throughout his career, Roos has been active in public service, serving on a public school board in California from 1991 to 1999. Prior to becoming Ambassador to Japan, Roos served on the Stanford School of Education Dean's Advisory Board and on the Law School Dean's Advisory Council. He was elected to membership in the Stanford Associates for his long-standing volunteer service to the University.

 

Bernard J. Tyson

Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals

 
Bernard J. Tyson is chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals – known as Kaiser Permanente, one of America's leading integrated health care providers and not-for-profit health plans with $65 billion annual operating revenue, serving nearly 12 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. In his 33 years with Kaiser Permanente, Tyson has served in roles ranging from hospital administrator to division president to president and chief operating officer of the Oakland-based organization. He has influenced the focus of both global and American business on health and health care. His support of technology to drive innovation and an improved patient health experience at Kaiser Permanente is key to delivering health equity and affordable, accessible, high-quality health care.
In 2017, Tyson was named to TIME Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was also recognized as the top health care executive for the fourth year in a row by Modern Healthcare. Tyson is vice chair of America's Health Insurance Plans, deputy chairman of the International Federation of Health Plans and steward of the World Economic Forum's Global Challenge on the Future of Health. He also serves on the board of the American Heart Association and is chair of the Bay Area Council, a business-led public policy organization advocating for a strong economy and better quality of life for Bay Area residents.
 

Robin L. Washington

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Gilead Sciences Inc.

 

Washington joined Gilead in 2008 and is currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer where she oversees the Global Finance and Information Technology organizations. Washington was previously Chief Financial Officer of Hyperion Solutions, which was acquired by Oracle Corporation in March 2007. Prior to that, Washington served in a number of executive positions with PeopleSoft, most recently in the role of Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller.

Washington previously served on the Board of Directors of Tektronix, Inc. (acquired by Danaher), the Board of Directors of MIPS Technologies Inc. (acquired by Imagination), and currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Honeywell, the Board of Directors of the San Jose Children's Discovery Museum and the Board of Visitors, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University.

Washington is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and a M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.
 

Maynard Webb

​Founder, Webb Investment Network; Co-Founder, Everwise; Director at Visa and Everwise

 
Maynard G. Webb, Jr. is the founder of Webb Investment Network, an early stage investment firm, and a co-founder of Everwise Corporation, a provider of workplace mentoring solutions. Mr. Webb served as the Chairman of the board of LiveOps Inc., a cloud-based call center, from 2011 to 2013 and was its Chief Executive Officer from December 2006 to July 2011. Previously, Mr. Webb was the Chief Operating Officer of eBay, Inc., a global commerce and payments provider, from June 2002 to August 2006, and President of eBay Technologies from August 1999 to June 2002. Prior to joining eBay, Mr. Webb was Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Gateway, Inc., a computer manufacturer, from July 1998 to August 1999, and Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Bay Networks, Inc., a computer networking products manufacturer, from February 1995 to July 1998.
Mr. Webb currently serves as a director of Visa and Everwise. He previously was a director of Extensity, Inc., an Internet-based employee relationship management solutions company; Gartner, Inc., an information technology research and advisory firm; Hyperion Solutions Corporation, a business performance management software company; and Niku Corporation, an information technology management and governance software company. Mr. Webb holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University.
 

Susan Wojcicki

CEO, YouTube

 

Susan Wojcicki is CEO of YouTube, the world’s most popular digital video platform used by a billion people across the globe to access information, share video, and shape culture. An early champion of online video, Wojcicki was instrumental in Google's 2006 acquisition of YouTube. She now oversees YouTube's content and business operations, engineering, and product development.

Prior to joining YouTube in February 2014, Wojcicki was senior vice president of Advertising & Commerce at Google, where she oversaw the design and engineering of AdWords, AdSense, DoubleClick, and Google Analytics. She joined Google in 1999 as the company's first marketing manager and led the initial development of several key consumer products, including Google Images and Google Books. In 2002, Wojcicki began working on Google’s advertising products and over the next 12 years she led teams that helped define the vision and direction of Google’s monetization platforms.

Wojcicki graduated with honors from Harvard University, holds a master's in Economics from University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MBA from UCLA.