Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams named to Bloomberg leaders list

Bloomberg Businessweek has named Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams to the 2020 Bloomberg 50, its annual list of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who have changed the global business landscape over the past year.

The list will be published in the December 7 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek Among those honored this year are Dr. Anthony Fauci, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and Chief Justice John Roberts.

The Bloomberg 50 represents the most influential thought leaders in business, entertainment, finance, politics, science and technology whose 2020 accomplishments were particularly noteworthy.

“I am honored and humbled to represent Southern Bancorp and the mission-driven financial institution industry in general on the Bloomberg 50 list,” Williams said. “I hope to use this platform to encourage greater attention on the growing economic needs of underserved Americans and how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Southern Bancorp can help them.”

Williams has served as Southern Bancorp’s CEO since 2013. During the past year, he has been a voice for the industry on topics ranging from coronavirus response and economic relief to the growing racial wealth gap. Williams’ advocacy for the unique role of CDFIs in reaching America’s financially underserved communities, including communities of color, has helped raise national awareness of the industry which was created to increase financial access to communities often overlooked by traditional financial institutions.

“As one of only a few African American CEOs who lead FDIC depository institutions in excess of $1 billion in assets, I feel a responsibility to use my position to shed light on the growing wealth gap in America, be it in rural America or more broadly, in communities of color. In doing so, we can identify and implement solutions to help these communities build wealth in ways that increase economic mobility and advance economic opportunities,” Williams said.

To view the full Bloomberg 50, click here.