During an appearance at Invest Fest with “Earn Your Leisure” in Atlanta earlier this month, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams discussed how she pushed for more Black women hires at Nike, where she has been associated with the sportswear giant for more than two decades. Williams, 44, stepped away from tennis following the 2022 U.S. Open but returned to professional competition this year and is set to compete in mixed doubles at the 2026 U.S. Open with Carlos Alcaraz.
Beyond Tennis
Williams said there was a period when she felt disconnected from Nike because she did not see enough people who looked like her in company meetings. She said she raised those concerns directly with then-CEO Mark Parker, who led Nike from 2006 to 2020.
“I see so many people that don’t look like me, and it is exhausting. I don’t see enough women. It was with Mark Parker, and it was a very interesting conversation. Kudos to Mark ’cause he literally changed what Nike is internally,” Williams said during the Aug. 20 interview.
Williams credited those conversations with helping drive changes within the company. She said the transformation was particularly meaningful because Nike ultimately listened to an athlete and acted on her concerns.
“If you guys were to see Nike internally, it is so different than what it used to be. And all because of those conversations that I continue to push, and now it’s just like I’m like, ‘OK, we need a little diversity still, too,’” Williams said.
She added that she was especially pleased to see Black women occupying leadership positions within the company.
“But it’s a good thing. I love it. I love it so much ’cause all the bosses are women, are Black women. And I absolutely love that. And it feels good to know that I had a firsthand in that,” Williams, who is worth $350 million, said.
Williams also stressed the importance of seeing a major global corporation respond to pressure from an athlete.
“And it feels good to know that a company that big could listen to an athlete like me and say, ‘OK, we hear you, and we’re actually going to do something about this.’ And we also notice that there can be a lot of change made,” she said.
Nike has since seen Black women rise into major leadership roles. LaToya Kamara Manley has served as general manager of North America Express Lane, while Sarah Mensah has been president of Jordan Brand since 2023. Mensah became the first woman to hold the position.
Williams’ “Earn Your Leisure” interview came right after she rebranded her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, as Starfire Ventures, saying she wanted the company to grow beyond her name. The firm has backed 16 unicorns and completed five exits since launching its $111 million inaugural fund. Nearly 70% of its portfolio companies are led by women or people of color, reflecting Williams’ focus on founders who have historically faced barriers to venture capital. The portfolio includes companies such as Esusu, Khloud, Calico, HUED and Rebel. Williams, whose net worth is estimated at $300 million, is also preparing for the 2026 U.S. Open through a new partnership with Heineken 0.0.
