Mentorship has ‘been a joy,’ says CGA lifetime achievement winner

Carol Ward was the worthy recipient of the lifetime achievement award at this year’s Corporate Governance Awards and, in a brief interview with Corporate Secretary on the night, she said that she’s felt a lot of joy in watching her mentees succeed in the governance field and beyond.

Ward spent 23 years working at Cigna Corporation as its corporate secretary and chief compliance officer, and a further 12 years at Kraft Foods (now Mondelez International) as vice president and corporate secretary. At both companies she played a leading role in mentoring and developing internal talent, as well as coaching law students during internships.

She has also been an active member of the Society for Corporate Governance, serving as its chair from 2001 to 2002. When asked how aspiring governance professionals can succeed in their careers, Ward said: ‘Join the Society for Corporate Governance and get involved.’

After retiring from Mondelez International, Ward joined Chicago-based Corporate Governance Partners as a senior adviser.

Click here to watch the full video interview. For an in-depth interview with Ward about her career highlights, look out for the release of the Corporate Governance Yearbook in early 2020.