Mellody Hobson

Mellody Louise Hobson Lucas (née Hobson; born April 3, 1969) is an American businesswoman who is president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments, and former chair of Starbucks. She is the former chairman of DreamWorks Animation, having stepped down after negotiating the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., by NBCUniversal in August 2016. In 2017, she became the first African-American woman to head The Economic Club of Chicago. On December 26, 2020, it was announced she would become chair of Starbucks in 2021, thus becoming the first black woman to chair an S&P 500 company, and making her one of the highest-profile corporate directors in the US. She continued in the role of chair until August 2024. As of 2020, she is listed as #94 in Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women.[edit]