HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CDK Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading automotive retail technology company, today announced two members of its board of directors, Les Brun and Willie Deese, have been named to the “2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors” list for the second time by Savoy Magazine, a leading business magazine reporting on African American success and achievement.
Savoy’s “2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors” is a prestigious listing of executives, influencers and achievers active on the boards of the world’s leading corporations and organizations. Featured in its fall issue, the magazine assembled an elite representation of African American men and women recognized for their executive and business leadership.
Brun and Deese both joined the CDK board of directors in 2014. Brun serves as chairman of the board, and Deese serves as chair of the compensation committee.
“We are proud Savoy Magazine is recognizing Les and Willie for their dedication and long-standing commitment to the success of CDK and the other organizations they serve,” said Brian Krzanich, president and chief executive officer, CDK Global. “Their experience, unique perspectives and leadership have contributed greatly to CDK over the last seven years as we strategically rethink the future of automotive retail by helping connect the industry and create seamless experiences across all aspects of car-buying and ownership.”
Outside CDK, Brun is co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Ariel Alternatives, lead independent director of Broadridge Financial Solutions, and a director of Corning. He is also the founder and former chairman and chief executive officer of Hamilton Lane, one of the largest global investment managers providing private markets solutions with more than $500 billion in assets under management and supervision. Previously, Brun was lead independent director at Merck, managing director at CCMP Capital Advisors, chairman of the board of Automatic Data Processing and chair of the compensation committee at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In 2019, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Business Hall of Fame and was recognized by the National Association of Corporate Directors as one of America’s top 100 corporate directors in 2015.
Deese is also an independent director of Dentsply Sirona, a leading manufacturer and distributor of dental and other consumable healthcare products; Public Service Enterprise Group, a diversified energy company; and G1 Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Previously, he served as an executive vice president of Merck from 2008 to 2016 and as president of the Merck Manufacturing Division from 2005 to 2016. He also served as Merck’s senior vice president of Global Procurement from 2004 to 2005. Prior to joining Merck, he served as senior vice president of Global Procurement and Logistics at GlaxoSmithKline and vice president of Purchasing at Kaiser Permanente.
The “2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors” listing is available at savoynetwork.com.
About CDK Global, Inc.
CDK Global (NASDAQ: CDK) is a leading provider of integrated data and technology solutions to the automotive, heavy truck, recreation, and heavy equipment industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end, omnichannel retail commerce through open, agnostic technology, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers and original equipment manufacturers, serving nearly 15,000 retail locations in North America. CDK solutions connect people with technology by automating and integrating all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair, and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.
