Doug Melville 5th Generation Innovator, Leader and Change Agent | Global Diversity & Business Leader
About the Author
Doug Melville is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) for an International luxury holding company. There, Melville sits on the Governance and Sustainability Committee. He is responsible for drafting the DEI vision, measuring and embedding metrics, and strategizing around DEI as a business solutions.
Melville’s journey as a Diversity Officer began in 2012 at TBWA (Omnicom), a global advertising agency, advising iconic brands such as Apple, AirBnB, PepsiCo, Amazon, and more. Melville led their Supplier Diversity program and created a search engine to aggregate US women and diverse-owned (MWBE) creative businesses. Prior to advertising, Melville sat on the executive team of Magic Johnson Enterprises to create top line revenue by building out his brand, holdings and partnerships. He also served as an advisor for Tommy Hilfiger’s capital management firm, T Capital Management.
In his most recent endeavor Melville set out to rediscover his family’s story—one of sacrifice and perseverance. In his forthcoming book, Invisible Generals (November 2023), he tells the amazing true story of America’s first Black generals, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. and Jr., a father and son who helped integrate the American military and created the Tuskegee Airmen, working with eight different US Presidential administrations, from FDR to Jimmy Carter, along the way.
Melville examines how to draw strength from uncovering and reclaiming history by utilizing your ancestors’ victories to broaden your vision of what’s possible today; becoming a voice for the voiceless; harnessing the power of perseverance to understand and overcome generational challenges; and building on and growing your family legacy.
In his personal time Melville works across the public sector – from West Point to the Air Force Academy – to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of his family and diverse trailblazers.
Born in Connecticut, Melville has traveled to 75 different countries to better understand cultural differences and business through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. He currently splits time between the United States and Geneva, Switzerland, and is an alum of Syracuse University.
Suggested Topics
- Invisible Generals
Melville will introduce his book, Invisible Generals, and answer questions such as “Who were America’s 1st black generals?,” “How did the Tuskegee Airmen come about?” and “Why are the Red Tails red?”
- Common Sense Diversity (DEI)
Melville will discuss how to evolve your DEI programs in a way that works for (almost) everyone.
- 7 Tips of Reputation Management
Melville will touch on each role he has held throughout his career and share a key lesson he learned about personal reputations that can be utilized by everyone.
- 4 Things that Keep Me Up at Night
Being a DEI leader for a decade, Melville has four things that keep him up at night.
- Global Diversity: Whats DEI outside the US?
Melville will discuss how America has set the tone on this subject and highlight how other regions and countries define DEI.
- Conservative Diversity: Evolution > Revolution
Melville will discuss what to do when the sea change is coming, but your leaders aren’t comfortable.
- Diverse Businesses: Inspiration vs Validation
While diversification of your supply chain is important, is it realistic?
- The Trillion Dollar Blind Spot
Are you leaning into Americas largest Domestic Emerging market?
In the Media
“Empowered Aviation Pioneers leave legacy for modern Airmen”
January 6, 2023
July 7, 2021
December 15, 2020
June 24, 2020
October 27, 2020
“How To Extend Diversity Initiatives To The Marketing Supply Chain”
July 31, 2020
“If Washington picks Red Tails, Tuskegee Airmen nonprofit wants to make sure it’s done right”
July 17, 2020
“Brands beware: Lessons from the downfall of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben”
June 24, 2020
“The right way for companies to weigh in on racism, according to experts”
June 2, 2020
“Recognizing 2019’s Power Players in Media, Technology and Marketing”
January 6, 2020
Videos