Dick Parsons

Former CEO of Time Warner and Citigroup, Independent

Search every verified Dick Parsons interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Richard Parsons, former CEO of Time Warner and Citigroup, has been active in discussions about racial inequity in finance and corporate leadership. In March 2023, he participated in a Washington Post Live interview to discuss The Equity Alliance, a fund he co-founded to invest in minority and female-led venture funds. Parsons described the lack of capital flowing to women and minority fund managers as "structural inequality," adding that he does not use the term "racism" because it "suggests there's an intentionality to it." He stated that less than two percent of the $70 to $80 trillion asset management industry goes to minorities or women. In December 2023, Parsons commented on the lack of CEO diversity, noting that there are only six Fortune 500 companies run by black CEOs, which he called a record high. He attributed the slow progress to a lack of familiarity between groups, saying, "It's a struggle because we don't live together and therefore we don't have familiarity with each other." He added that until corporate boards become more diverse, significant change in the CEO role is unlikely, though he expressed hope that the complexion of corporate America is changing, particularly with more women joining boards.