Michael J. Fenlon, Ph.D. (Mike), is an executive leader who leads transformations that focus on disruption, future of work strategies, leadership development, and technology-enabled People functions. He is recognized for creating modernized organizations and cultures for the digital and inclusive economy of the 21st century. He has served in US and global leadership positions, including C-suite, at PwC, one of the largest professional services firms in the world. In addition, he is a former member of the Columbia Business School Executive Education Faculty and Associate Dean for top-rated global executive MBA programs.
Currently, Mike is Chief Future of Work Officer. In this newly created role, he develops thought leadership positions, shares PwC perspectives, drives strategic leadership development, and advises Fortune 500 C-suite clients on the future of work. He also leads PwC’s sponsorship, strategies, and operations for CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace, comprised of 2,400+ CEOs and university presidents representing 21M employees. In this capacity, Mike and his team support signatories in engaging boards of directors to evaluate DEI strategies and outcomes, share evidence-based practices to advance DEI, and provide education on inclusive leadership, implicit bias, and culture-building. He also has served as a PwC co-sponsor for the UN HeForShe initiative on global gender equality.
Prior to that, Mike was PwC’s Chief People Officer with CHRO responsibility for PwC US and Mexico, plus employee centers in India, China, Argentina, the Philippines, and Indonesia. He also served on the PwC US Leadership Team and on the PwC Global People Leadership Team. Earlier, he was Global and US Talent Leader for the PwC network, where he oversaw performance management, talent acquisition, technology and brand initiatives across 157 countries. Mike drove improvements in financial and performance metrics, diversity, talent retention, and employee engagement. Mike led PwC’s employer brand strategy, with PwC being recognized among top employers globally, and in the US by the Great Place to Work Institute and Fortune magazine for 18 consecutive years.
Fast Company magazine honored Mike as one of the 100 most creative business leaders in the world and HR Digest named him to its “Most Influential HR Leaders Power List.” Mike is a speaker on future of work, people strategy and disruption, hybrid and new ways of working, digital upskilling, leadership development, EQ, diversity and inclusion, and the role of responsible business leadership in society.
Prior to joining PwC, Mike was a faculty member on the Columbia Business School executive education team that was ranked by The Financial Times as #1 in the world. As Associate Dean, he led top-ranked executive MBA programs in New York, EMBA Global with the London Business School, and an EMBA partnership with Berkeley Haas. He also consulted in the nonprofit sector and served in Executive Programs for Public Health Leaders at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Mike earned a Ph.D. and three master’s degrees from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mike lives in New York with his wife, four children, and the Labrador Retrievers they raise for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. He is an avid runner and active in his community.
