Exploring Grand Possibilities with Vanessa Colella, Former Chief Innovation Officer at Citibank

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vanessa Colella is the former Chief Innovation Officer at Citi Ventures and Citi Productivity. Her goal there was to accelerate and discover new sources of value by championing innovation so Citi can compete more effectively in a world of technological, behavioral, and societal change. She left Citi in early 2022 and will be announcing her next move. We can’t wait to hear! </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She was a former partner at McKinsey & Company, and a junior high and high school science teacher. She has her Ph.D. from MIT media lab, as well as master's degrees from both Columbia University and MIT and an SB degree in molecular biology.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In our conversation, Vanessa passionately talks about the importance of diversity in leadership, and how it can help you create solutions and promote innovation. We also discussed: </span></p> <p> </p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">What it means to be a Chief Innovation Officer</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The myths about ideas</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">“The Generosity of Interpretation”</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Why diversity and inclusion are so important</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">How motherhood has changed her leadership approach</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">How her Ph.D. shaped her leadership style and perspective</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <h1><strong>Quotes</strong></h1> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The enemy of leadership is ego.”</span></em></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“No one has all the answers anymore, leaders need to know how to ask the right questi