Overview

James D. White is a transformational leader with over thirty years of experience as a CEO and operating executive. He has overseen the evolution and growth of some of the world’s most iconic brands in the consumer products, retail, and restaurant industries and is an experienced corporate director and adviser with twenty years of experience on more than fifteen public and private boards.

At The ExCo Group, White is an executive mentor and leads our Leading Cultural Transformation Practice, which centers on working with Executive Leadership to help define the culture that enables strategy and driving culture team into the organization.

Career History

As Chair, President, and CEO of Jamba Juice from 2008-2016, he led the successful turnaround and transformation of the company from a made-to-order smoothie shop to a global healthy-lifestyle brand. He has held senior executive positions at Safeway, Gillette, and Nestle Purina PetCare. In 2020, he launched his own firm, Culture Design Lab, to coach, train, and lead CEOs, boards, Chief People Officers, and Chief Diversity Officers on operationalizing his diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) playbook. White currently chairs the board of the recently IPO’d Honest Company and is Executive Chair of the startup Air Protein, in addition to several other boards.

A passionate champion for diversity and inclusion, White has been recognized with numerous awards, including the American Heart Association’s Corporate Citizen Award and Junior Achievement of Northern California’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The San Francisco Business Times also named him the San Francisco Bay Area’s Most Admired CEO.

Personal

White was inducted into the 2021 Alumni Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri. He received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Fontbonne University and was invited to be the commencement speaker for the class of 2017. White is regularly featured in the media for his work, including Harvard Business Review, The Mentor, Shark Tank, the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, Savoy, and Black Enterprise.