Meet Claudia
Claudia Brind-Woody is a dynamic executive with an extensive career spanning over two decades at IBM, complemented by a rich background in collegiate athletics, academia, and board governance. As a globally recognized keynote speaker, Claudia has inspired audiences at major conferences with her insights on leadership, authenticity, and personal empowerment. Her expertise in advising major organizations on diversity, business development, and corporate strategy has driven sustainable success and fostered high-performance team cultures. Claudia is passionate about empowering individuals and businesses to excel.
Claudia’s journey began in the world of collegiate athletics, where she served as an Assistant Basketball Coach under the legendary Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee. During her tenure, she contributed to the team's success, including a Final Four appearance, and later coached the USA National Women's Basketball team, earning a silver medal in international play. This early experience in sports laid the foundation for her future success in coaching top-performing teams and strengthening leadership capabilities in both athletic and corporate environments.
After her time in athletics, Claudia transitioned to academia, where she held several leadership roles at the University of Texas at Austin. As Assistant Dean of the College & Graduate School of Business, she managed corporate relations with Fortune 500 companies, increasing corporate giving by over 500%. She also played a pivotal role in elevating the school's national rankings and was instrumental in the establishment of the Austin Technology Incubator and the International Moot Corp. program. Her ability to build relationships and drive strategic initiatives during this period foreshadowed her future success in corporate leadership.
Claudia's corporate career began in earnest with CenturyLink, where she served as Vice President of Business Development and later as COO and General Manager of Century Interactive Fax. In these roles, she directed acquisition and growth strategies, revamped product development, and led the integration of new companies. Her work in the telecommunications sector honed her skills in negotiation, strategic planning, and business development, which would become hallmarks of her later career.
In 1995, Claudia joined the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as Director of Technology Results System. Tasked with administering the application development, systems integration, and operations for the 1996 Olympic Games, she coordinated a diverse team of over 600 professionals across multiple corporate and international cultures. Her leadership ensured the seamless execution of technology systems critical to the Games' success, further solidifying her reputation as a transformative leader.
Claudia's career took a significant turn in 1996 when she joined IBM, where she would spend the next 28 years in various leadership roles. Her first major role at IBM was as Vice President and Managing Director of Global Intellectual Property Licensing. In this capacity, she oversaw a global team responsible for patent and source code licensing, negotiating complex, high-value deals with clients, partners, and competitors. She developed innovative patent licensing models, including auctions and cluster purchases, which contributed over $3B in profits to IBM within three years.
In 2019, Claudia was appointed Managing Director of the Walgreens Boots Alliance Integrated Account, where she headed a cross-continental team across Europe and North America. She successfully turned around a struggling account, boosting revenue by 143% and rebuilding trust with the client. Her ability to navigate high-conflict situations and deliver consistent results underscored her expertise in transforming troubled accounts into long-term partnerships.
Currently, as the Vice President of GSI & Strategic Partnerships and Managing Director of the Kyndryl Partnership at IBM UK, Claudia spearheads the formulation and execution of a growth strategy for the Global Systems Integrators (GSI) program, fostering relationships with global systems integrators to advance business expansion. She manages a team of nine direct and 18 indirect reports, facilitating collaboration, process improvements, and revenue growth in highly complex business environments.
Claudia's academic credentials are equally impressive. She holds a Juris Doctor from Georgia State University, an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from the University of Tennessee. She is also a certified Project Management Professional and has completed advanced negotiations training at Harvard Business School.
Claudia Brind-Woody’s career is a testament to her ability to drive strategic transformation, build high-performing teams, and inspire individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential. Her unique blend of business acumen, coaching expertise, and commitment to diversity and inclusion makes her a sought-after leader, speaker, and advisor.